Silver Sands
by TheDarkGodess
Summary: Harry and Draco have been married for the last 6 years and they can both honestly say it's been the best experience of their lives. But somethings been missing, and the war has taken a much larger toll than they thought. One wish changes everything. Stuck in the past with only each other and the sickening knowledge of what's to come they decide it's time to change the future.
1. Prologue

**Author's notes:** Thank's for reading! This is my first ever published Fanfiction story and I'll try to keep it update regularly, depends where the plot bunnies take me.

* * *

Hello - Normal Text

"Hello" - Speech

 **Hello** \- Dream or Flashback

 _'hello'_ \- Thoughts

 _$hello$_ \- Parseltongue

* * *

Prologue

Harry opened the door to his apartment and slammed it behind him, pulling his red and gold Gryffindor scarf off to tie it around the coat stand alongside the long black coat and green scarf that already resided there.

From in the other room the scent of tomato sauce and meatballs wafted through to his nose and his mouth lifted up into a smile, instantly brightening his day.

He walked slowly into the room, his Auror regulation shoes made very little noise on the floor making them perfect for covert operations. He crept up behind the familiar body standing in front of the stove and wrapped his arms around the slightly shorter male, resting his chin on the mans' shoulder and breathing in the scent of honey in his blond hair.

"You're home early"

He reached over and dipped his finger in the pasta sauce that the man had been stirring and licked it off. "Shacklebolt let me off early after I finished my paperwork. You made my favourite."

Draco smiled warmly, "You made mine last night, so I thought I'd return the favour. There's wine open on the side if you want to get a glass."

He drifted over to the other side of the kitchen and found the bottle of red win uncorked and sitting next to two sparkling clean glasses. He poured the crimson nectar and lifted up the bottle for closer examination, he recognised it as a gift he'd given Draco for their anniversary about a month ago. "Are we celebrating something?"

He looked over to see Draco plating the spaghetti and putting both plates on the table either side of an old candelabra they'd salvaged from Godric's Hollow. They'd visited a few years back on Halloween, "For closure" his husband had said, and in between crying they'd managed to commandeer some of his parents' old things for keepsakes. The candelabra took pride of place in the kitchen, much like the painting of the stag over his mantelpiece.

"Yes actually. I've been promoted in the Unspeakables, turns out my research into the origin of magic were very useful and much appreciated."

Harry took a long sip of the wine and smiled at his husband fondly, "The squib-muggleborn theory, right?" He received a nod. "My husbands a genius".

Draco's features took on a snooty air that wouldn't look out of place on any of his Slytherin ancestors, "Malfoy's are always geniuses Potter. You shouldn't expect anything less".

"And Malfoy-Potter's?"

Draco smirked slyly, "Reckless over-emotional geniuses with hero complexes." He snorted in his food, "I suppose that applies to you too then?"

The blond raised an eyebrow, "You live with a person for 6 years and you pick up on some of their mannerisms. You've brain washed me Potter, you'll be hearing from my lawyer I expect. I imagine the reporters would have a field day with this". His voice took on a tone similar to that of a stereotypical news reader, "Breaking News, Man-Who-Conquered: Sexy Stallion or Love Potion Connoisseur? Rita Skeeter tells all."

Harry smiled, "And anybody who went to Hogwarts would tell them I'm absolutely shit at potions, I wouldn't exactly call myself an expert".

"Don't pretend you haven't read all of my books". "You have no proof."

Draco smirked, "You make notes, all over the margins. People would know it was your writing from a mile away, nobody else in the world is that useless with a quill."

"You try writing with a biro for 7 years then being handed a feather. It isn't all that easy".

He was given a blank stare, "You've been in the wizarding world for 15 years. It doesn't take that long to learn how to write with a…feather…"

Harry took another bite from his dinner, "Can't teach an old dog new tricks".

It was later in the evening, Harry and Draco were curled up on the sofa together watching a movie on the muggle TV. The young Malfoy had been reluctant to install it at first but soon came to love the device, often being found in his pyjamas late at night watching Dramas and Soap Operas.

Right now, they'd just finished watching titanic, a favourited of theirs and were finishing off what was left of the popcorn. The plates from earlier were resting in the sink and the leftover food in the pan was still on the side. They'd sort it out in the morning, for now it was time to relax.

Harry was studying the wedding ring on his finger intently, it was a simple golden band with green and silver gems. At first, he's complained a bit when seeing the strictly Slytherin colours but after recognising them to be the exact same shade as both of their eyes, he'd promptly fell in love. The stunning emerald green of his mother and the shining moonlight silver that he'd fallen so deeply in love with. The perfect representation of both his past and his future. It was truly beautiful.

"Can you remember our wedding day?"

Draco looked back at him with a mix between confusion and fondness, "How could I forget?"

Harry tangled his fingers in the soft blond hair and messed with it in a way that was sure would piss the man off when he went through his nightly ablutions later on, "I remember everything. Your robes, the way your eyes looked, the way you smiled. The colour of the flowers and the music. It was the happiest day of my life. But..."

The blond stilled beneath his hands and shifted round to face him, a scowl adorned his handsome features, "But what Harry? If this is the point where you tell me you regret this, I don't want to hear it."

He grasped the boy's face; his hands cupping his cheeks and pressed a soft kiss to the other man's mouth, trying to convey all of his feeling accurately. "It's nothing like that love. I just can't help that wish that…I wish our families were there. I wish my Dad and Sirius could've made jokes and played pranks. Mum could've taken pictures and Narcissa would've fussed over all of the organisation and the flower combinations. Remus would be there with Tonks and Teddy. And Fred…he'd be laughing and smiling with George as if nothing had happened. As if his twin's soul hadn't been broken in two alongside his own".

He looked up through his now wet eyelashes to see his husband in a similar state. "I would've loved that too. You're right, Mother would've been fussed way too much. She always took an active role in the Yule Gala's, I imagine she'd be much worse on her only son's wedding day."

They both wrapped their arms around each other for comfort. Draco smiled sadly, "It's all in the past. We both had to get through it and I'm glad we could do it together, to be honest I'm not sure I could've without you".

"Me neither".

Draco took a deep breath, "I've made far too many mistakes in my lifetime Harry…" he looks down at his left forearm where the Dark Mark was concealed by his long blue shirt. "Sometimes I wish I'd been smarter back then. That we'd both been smarter…"

* * *

Harry was lying awake that night staring at the ceiling.

It was about 2am and the window was open letting in a steady draft, to his right was the familiar lean body of his husband wrapped around his side. He smiled down at the man, so peaceful in his sleep, something that he barely ever achieved when awake in the aftermath of the war.

He couldn't stop thinking over their conversation earlier. He had many regrets over the war, the deaths taking up a large portion of them. Would he change it if he could? He looked down again at his husband. Every moment in both of their lives was leading up to this, to both of them lying her tonight. He couldn't forfeit that, could he?

* * *

Bang. Bang. Bang.

That was the noise Harry woke up to. The sound of banging wood reverberating around the room. In a second his Auror instincts kicked in and he reached for his wand where it was placed on the bedside table. His fingers met thin air and he tumbled forward from the shock. He was upon his feet again instantly, his body going into full blown panic. He was prepared to use wandless magic if necessary, it wasn't always reliable, but he could do quite a few things with it when concentrated. Ranging from small things like a _lumos_ to and _expelliarmus_ if he was desperate enough. He'd also mastered his native element, something that all wizards and witches had but few could learn to control in their lifetime. His was fire and Draco's was water. Opposites but complimentary.

He froze. Draco.

He glanced backwards, expecting to see the familiar double bed with its navy-blue sheets and silver trim. Instead he was met by the sight of a small, rickety single bed that looked as if it had been haphazardly put together at a scrap yard.

He looked around panicked as if waiting for his love to pop out of anywhere. But no. Draco was nowhere to be seen.

Something inside of him broke and he let out a sob. Was he dead? Had somebody taken him? What kind of sick joke was this?

Then his brain began to work properly, and he looked around the room slowly as if seeing it for the first time. Except this wasn't the first time. No, he'd seen this room a hundred times before. He recognised the wardrobe. The Chudley Cannons poster he'd received off _Ron_ sometime at the end of his second year. His school books splayed haphazardly over the floor. In the corner of the room was a silver perch and on it sat a familiar silver perch and on it sat an owl.

A snowy white owl with golden eyes. Hedwig.

This was Privet Drive. He remembers his Hogwarts letter. The smallest bedroom… He stumbled his way towards the wardrobe and opened it up, stepping out the way as a couple of coat hangers tumbled out. Then he stood in front of the mirror and stared at his reflection.

He was shorter. A lot shorter. Not scrawny like when he was a kid, definitely puberty age he'd probably had a growth spurt since then, but it was a far cry from the tall muscled body his Auror training had gained him. His eyes as well were shocking. His sight was abysmal, he'd had it fixed at least 4 years ago to help his observation skills. Now he was wearing his old circular, wire framed glasses. The ones that were so poorly prescribed he still had to squint to read. It was at this point that the gravity of the situation truly began to sink in.

He was a child again.

' _Well shit.'_


	2. Chapter 1

Hello - Normal Text

"Hello" - Speech

 **Hello** \- Dream or Flashback

 _'hello'_ \- Thoughts

 _$hello$_ \- Parseltongue

* * *

Chapter 1

"Get dressed boy! I want breakfast done and the garden weeded before Aunt Marge comes this morning".

Aunt Marge. THE Aunt Marge. The one with which he'd rather shoot his head with an _Avada Kedavra_ than actually be _related_ to that disgusting whale. She was a female Vernon. That wasn't a compliment.

Then he suddenly realised what this meant. _Aunt Marge was here._ He had visions of the Knight Bus then. Of blowing up the already half-inflated whale and letting her float into the atmosphere. Of running off to the Leaky Cauldron and having a single summer of well-earned peace. Of a large, shaggy black dog growling at him across the road. An Animagus by the name of Sirius Black.

He'd travelled back in time, that much had become obvious about 10 minutes ago. But now he knew he was a third year. Sirius, his godfather, was alive and on the run. So many people who he'd lost, were going about their lives as if they'd never even died. And they wouldn't not if he could stop it. The plans were beginning to formulate in his head already and a vicious grin spread across his face, the long supressed Slytherin side of his coming out to play.

Nobody would know what hit them.

* * *

The first thing he did was write a letter. He pulled out some scruffy parchment from under his bed where it'd been compacted behind all of his old school stuff and Dudley's spare toys. He dipped his quill in ink and began to draw an intricate image on the page. It was a dragon, wings spread wide and fire coming from his mouth in deadly spurts of heat. It was still for the moment, but he concentrated his elemental skills on the page and the image came to life. Turning vibrant shades of red and orange like a flickering flame and flying around the parchment letting out muffled roars. He signed the page _LEO_ and sent it off to it's destination.

His beloved. Draco.

He hoped with all of his being that his theory was true. Whatever magic it was that had affected him to bring him back in time, there was a high chance it had affected his husband as well. He certainly couldn't do all of this without the man.

If he was right, Draco would get the image. It was a tattoo he was planning to get, something to symbolise their relationship, but he hadn't gotten around to it, only designed the rough sketches in his spare time. It was something they'd discussed quite a few times. He signed it Leo as well, something Draco had begun calling him after he'd begun calling him Dragon, signalling his Gryffindor heritage. If it was truly him, he'd send a letter straight back. If not, he'd probably pass it off as a wrongly addressed letter or a confused owl.

He sat down on his bed and waited.

* * *

Draco was confused. Very confused. He'd woken up later than usual to bright lights and a bed covered in silk. Something his husband had condemned as he found it uncomfortable. Honestly. _Silk. Uncomfortable._ Sometimes he despaired with the man, but he loved him truly.

He hadn't had silk covers in years, not since…not since he'd last been at the Manor. He'd sworn not to go back there after the horrific events of the war that he'd witnessed in his old home. That and the building reminded him too much of his _father_ and the horrific mark that marred his forearm.

The mark.

His arm. It felt normal. Ever since he'd gotten the thing, he'd only felt two things from it. The thrumming of painful dark magic, signalling the Dark Lord was angry. Or the cold emptiness that seemed to radiate from it in his death. Yet now he felt nothing. He stared down at his blank forearm in shock. Nothing could get rid of it. _Nothing._ Him and Harry had tried for years. Yet here his forearm was, pale and empty and unmarred.

He ran his fingers across the skin for a few moments and stared at his wrists. They were thinner than usual. Quite a bit thinner. And his arms, they'd lost some of the muscle he'd built up over the years. He looked younger, smaller. Like a _boy._ Nothing like the man he'd became.

It scared him.

Until he realised what this all meant. All of his conversations with Harry the night before came back. The regrets they both had in the war. The sadness. The grief. His mother had once told him that wish magic was the strongest of them all. If they'd both wished hard enough….they were certainly powerful enough combined to make such a spell work.

Just as he began to think about it a familiar snowy white owl flew in the window clutching a piece of parchment. He plucked it out of the stubborn birds talons and stared down in awe at the beautiful image his beloved had drawn for him. He recognised the image almost instantly from the doodles on the inside of his potions manuals, the handwriting was Potter's familiar illegible drawl that only he seemed to be able to comprehend. No wonder he never did any well on his essays at school, the teachers couldn't very well read his handwriting.

He pulled out a brand new piece of parchment and dipped his Augurey feather quill in the ink, then he began to write his letter back.

Leo,

You have no idea how relieved I am to see this letter. I want to meet, give me a few days to get the feel of my new _situation_ and we can meet at Diagon to report back. I'll be getting you out of there soon love, just hold on tight. Write me back as soon as possible and we can arrange a date and place to meet.

Your Love,

Dragon

He folded the letter up and sealed it shut in and envelope with a green wax seal, careful to not stamp the Malfoy coat of arms on the seal as he normally would when writing a letter. Then he sent it off with Hedwig back to her owner.

He collapsed back onto the bed in a contemplative silence, staring at the ceiling, plans already beginning to formulate in his brain. Then he clicked out of his daze and walked over to his wardrobe to get dressed and start going about his day. He'd have to act as if nothing had happen so as not to raise suspicions. But he was a Slytherin. It was what he did.

He pulled open the wardrobe door and slipped into a pair of black trousers, buttoned up a pale green shirt and pulled on a green over robe with silver trim. After tying his polished dragon hide shoes, he walked off into the bathroom and stared at the various products around the room with a grimace. Gels, combs and all sorts of concoctions litter the sink and surface. He remembered when he was a teenager, he'd had the horrible habit of greasing his hair back to imitate his pureblood idols. When he'd first got with Harry the man had told him he'd look better without, and he was right. He lazily banished the mess with a wave of his hand, a trick his husband had taught him a while back, and began to work on his normal hair style. He combed his platinum-blond hair and mussed it up slightly in just the way Harry thought was sexy. Then he headed off downstairs to try and suss out his situation.

* * *

Malfoy Manor was a truly beautiful place with a truly dark history. The grounds, now covered in vibrant flowers and lively creatures had once been stained with blood. Light and dark alike. He remembered the last time he'd stepped inside of the building to retrieve his things and leave. He'd moved out as soon as possible and into a flat on Vertic Alley, one of the shorter residential streets off Diagon. The manor had stopped being his home a long time ago, but he still could appreciate its beauty. Like the breakfast room, there was a long mahogany table surrounded by tall backed navy leather chairs, situated by a roaring hearth on one side and the large French windows that covered the wall on the other to let in the natural light. There were paintings around the room of the grounds and some of his past ancestors, including his Great Aunt Mirena Malfoy who'd always been his favourite despite her off-putting demeanour.

The table was covered in the breakfast spread of croissants and various other light French delicacies and fruits. At one end of the table sat his Mother, pristine and elegant as ever, her hair tied up in an elegant chignon and her face with the lightest smatterings of make-up. She was eating a pain au raisin delicately, as one would treat a newborn child not a pastry, but she looked better than he'd seen her in a long time. She was horrid on her death bed, gaunt and pale, her eyes had lost the sparkle she'd always had whenever they lit upon her only sons face. She'd had cancer, a muggle condition. Wizards could treat it easily if caught within the first three stages but once it reached four, her magic only exacerbated the issue. She'd deteriorated rapidly and it wasn't long before she'd died, clutching his hand and proclaiming her love for him with her last dying breath.

That wouldn't happen again. He'd make sure of it.

Even when faced with the image of his _dead_ mother, that wasn't the most disturbing thing about this breakfast scene. No. That was the _thing_ sitting at the other end of the table.

That thing had a name. It was Lucius Malfoy, his father.

Or rather his sperm donor as he now liked to call him, that man was never truly his father.

The man was sitting there, lounged against the chair and reading the Daily Prophet Business Section at a leisurely pace.

As if he wasn't currently rotting in Azkaban.

As if he wasn't a soulless husk waiting for the sweet release of death.

Draco hadn't protested against the Dementor's Kiss, he'd supported it. He'd stood and watched as his then-fiancé testified against his father to the Wizengamot about the events of the Chamber of Secrets and Department of Mysteries. He'd even wanted a few words himself to say on the stand but Harry had refused, saying his testimony was enough and he didn't want him to go through the trauma. It took about an hour after that for them to sentence the man to Azkaban for life, the Dementor's Kiss came later on after 5 years of observing for good behaviour. Needless to say he was as bigoted as ever and his soul was sucked out like so many before him. It was a gruesome experience but he deserved nothing less.

The elder Malfoy looked up from his Prophet with a raised eyebrow. "Draco, you've been standing in the doorway for five minutes, is there something bothering you?"

He scoffed, "Of course not father. _Malfoy's_ don't get _bothered._ " He mentally cringed at his pompous tone and took a seat at the table in the middle, equidistant from both of his parents.

"Your Hogwarts letter will be coming soon dear, have you decided which electives you're taking?"

He turned towards his Mother and gave her a contemplative look, "Well, divination is a complete joke, anybody with half a brain would know that. Muggle studies is irrelevant for obvious reasons. I feel like I should take Runes and Arithmancy, they seem to be quite interesting so I suppose those and Care for a full schedule. I despise free periods, having to spend time in the library with the _mudbloods_ ". The word left a disgusting taste in his mouth and he struggled not to grimace. He hadn't though the word, let alone said it, in a very long time and hearing others utter it always left him with a feeling of distaste. Now, as it left his lips, the feeling was amplified by a million.

His father smiled, "Admirable choices Draco. You chose wisely".

"Of course father, that's the only way to choose".

He began to eat his melon slowly in silence, holding his smallest spoon delicately in his fingers and every so often glancing up at the others at the table.

He decided to approach the subject quickly, "Mother, I was wondering if perhaps I could go into Diagon Alley on my own sometime next week to meet an acquaintance and buy my school supplies."

She smiled at him faintly, "An acquaintance? A girl perhaps?"

Inwardly he sighed as his father perked up, "A pureblood of course. Of noble standing?"

He shook his head faintly, "Not a girl mother, I'm much too young for such things. I've been writing to a student in Beauxbatons for the last few months and his family has come to spend the summer in London to 'see the sights' as they call it. I wished to meet him".

His mother nodded slowly, "Of course. Does the boy have a name?"

He thought quickly before spouting the first name that popped into his head, the name of a child from one of Harry's cases in the future, a pureblood whose parents had been involved in a murder-suicide, leaving him orphaned, "Jacques Beaumont. I believe his family is involved in the French Ministry, somewhere in Law Enforcement".

His father nodded sagely and turned back to his paper. Draco let out a sigh of relief and returned to his plate, happy to finally have an opening to see Harry.

* * *

Harry stumbled down the stairs into the kitchen, he stared down at his ripped jeans and baggy t-shirt in disgust but resolved to buy something new on his trip to Diagon. His Aunt was standing by the home phone, listening intently to the person on the other side.

"Of course Marjorie, Vernon will be picking you up very soon. Dudley will be home to meet you as well, he's been very anxious to see you". He snorted, very anxious to get his fat grubby hands on her money more like. "Yes. I'll see you soon".

She hung up the phone and her eyes zeroed in on her _freak_ of a nephew. "I want the garden weeded and the plants watered before Marge gets here. The rest of your chores are on a list on the fridge, try to stay out of our way." She extended her giraffe length neck, gave a derisive sniff and walked off in the direction of the living room, adjusting the photos on the wall as she went.

He sighed mentally and got to work. It wouldn't be long before he escaped this hellhole, and he wouldn't be coming back again if he could help it.


	3. Chapter 2

**Author's Notes:** Chapter 2! A trip to Diagon Alley and a meeting with a very familiar black dog...read on.

Please note that some of the lines in this were taken from the original _Prisoner of Azkaban_. They don't belong to me, I'm not JKR. If I was I'd be in a much fancier house...

A girl can dream.

* * *

Hello - Normal Text

"Hello" - Speech

 **Hello** \- Dream or Flashback

 _'hello'_ \- Thoughts

 _$hello$_ \- Parseltongue

* * *

Harry had been getting impatient for the last few days.

He and Draco had agreed to meet tomorrow in Diagon Alley and every day leading up to it had been pure torture. The derogatory comments slipped into casual conversation, the looked of disgust from his 'Aunt' Marge, being treated like a glorified house elf. He hadn't been treated this way in years and he was getting sick. And angry.

He was sitting at dinner on the last night of her stay to a very familiar scene. Dudley and Vernon, were as usual filling their mouths with as much food as humanly possible, Petunia was swirling her wine around in her glass, trying to look sophisticated and failing miserably. Marge..Marge had her plate in her hand and held at the mouth of that disgusting excuse of a mongrel she'd named ripper, he was licking away vigorously and she was making encouraging noises every couple of seconds as if she was teaching her toddler to walk in a very condescending manner.

Harry was staring around, barely disguised disgust on his face, as sipped on his water. He was contemplating how his life had come to this.

"Excellent dinner you've cooked her Petunia, I normally only have a fry-up. What with the all the dogs I have to look after", she burped and patted her already bulging stomach that seemed to have grown more grotesque as dinner went on. "Pardon me but I do like to see a good sized boy", she went on winking at Dudley who grimaced back around the pie that he was chewing. "You'll be a proper sized man just like your Father".

Her piggy eyes turned to him and she looked him up and down assessing him. "This one her though"- she jerked her finger in his direction and Harry felt his stomach clench. He remembered this conversation clearly, but he remembered the aftermath even better. He took a deep breath and clenched his fingers tight to stop the rage building up.

"This one's got a mean, runty look about him. You get that with dogs. I had Colonel Fubster drown one last year. Ratty little thing it was. Weak. Underbred."

He could hear the words of millions of others rushing through his brain. Weak. Underbred. Magic-stealers. Dirty. Mudblood.

That word, it all cam back to that word, Mudblood. The route of the the whole war, all three of them really. First Grindelwald. Then Voldemort, Parts 1 and 2.

His rage grew a million times more quickly, multiplying exponentially.

Millions of people had died because of this. Because of ' _breeding_ '. This disgusting woman was just like them, believing that he deserved to die because his genetics, his blood wasn't up to standard. It disgusted him.

"It all comes down to blood, as I was saying the other day. Bad blood will out. Now, I'm saying nothing against your family, Petunia" - she patted the woman's hand with her shovel like one in poor display of sympathy - "but your sister was a bad egg. They turn up in the best families. Then she ran off with a wastrel and here's the result right in front of us". She gestured to him, her nose upturned as if she'd smelled something rotten.

Bad blood. His mother had always been condemned by both communities, Magical and Muggle, purely for the fact that she'd been given a gift by magic herself. To the muggles she was a freak, to the wizards an unworthy disgrace.

His brain had started to ring and his control started snapping like elastic.

"This Potter. You never told me what he did."

"He didn't work", said Vernon, "Unemployed".

Marge laughed, "Just as I expected. A no-account, good-for-nothing, lazy scrounger, who."

"He wasn't".

Every eye in the table turned to him. His hands were clasped against the table, he was pale white and clammy. His eyes had taken on a strange green gleam, almost as if they were glowing, and in the light you could see the flickers of what looked like fire flashing by in his iris. He looked deranged and utterly dangerous.

Marge scoffed, apparently unaware of the what she had walked into, "He must've been. Got himself killed drunk, suspect he tried to drink himself to death with a life like his and a son like you. Waste of good blood - that's what your mother was".

And then the damn broke. The power flooded his veins in a way he hadn't experienced for many years. It thrummed through his bloodstream, roaring to life like a fire and ready to burst. And it did, the fury burst out of him with the full force of the elements.

And Marge began to burn.

The skin on her arm bubbled and crackled like acid, almost melting away, her eyes were wide and she was screeching like a pig, waving her arm around in the air in panic. She was screaming in pain, tears flooding her squinted eyes. Petunia looked sick, Dudley shocked, and Vernon was pissed.

"STOP THIS THIS INSTANT YOU FREAK!"

And he did stop, but not in the way his uncle wished. On the floor, rolling around in inaudible pain, was a pig. A very fat, very dirty, very burnt pig. Harry was struck with the sudden thought that if Marge had an Animagus, this would be it. But of course she wouldn't have something so freakish.

He was up from the table in an instant and heading upstairs. His wand was in his back pocket, his trunk fully packed with everything he needed and his door was locked behind him with the flick of his hand. Then he was out the door and gone from Privet Drive.

Hopefully for good.

* * *

This was how Harry found himself sitting on his trunk on the corner of Magnolia Crescent staring out across the road in a scene eerily reminiscent of one from over a decade before.

He was contemplating where to go next. He was obviously going to meet Draco in Diagon Alley the next day, but now things had changed. He promised himself he wouldn't react to Marge like last time, instead he'd reacted even worse. Last time it could've been written off as accidental magic, this time it was much more malicious. More violent. And ultimately the ministry wouldn't be happy. But he couldn't run, that wasn't an option anymore, he had too much at stake to leave it all behind. No. Instead he'd just have to face the music. Like a true Gryffindor. Or a Malfoy-Potter. He smiled faintly at the title.

He was just beginning to reminisce when he spotted something on the other side of the road, crouching low in the undergrowth of the bushes and staring intently at him as if into his soul. He stood up and tried to get a closer look. Now, in the new light of the street lamp, he could see exactly what it was. A large shaggy black dog, it's fur matted with mud and water as if it's been living in the forests and swamps. It was a grim. No it wasn't a grim. It was an animagus.

His heart stopped for a millisecond, before it suddenly started beating a faster and faster. He crossed the street quickly, his wand clasped in his hand but hidden under his sleeve. He approached the dog, stopping as it took a cautious step backwards. He crouched down and ran his fingers through it's wet fur, a smile adorning his face.

"Hey there are you lost?"

It tilted its head quizzically.

"I ran away too you know. I was going to go somewhere, get some food, a nice bath, you could come too? That is if you don't want to go back to your owner.."

It shook it's head almost imperceptibly in a way far too human for an animal. Not an animal, he reminded himself. His _godfather._

"Good. Let's go".

* * *

He booked into a room at the leaky cauldron after a typically wild ride on the Knight Bus under the name Neville Longbottom. This time, there was no Minister Fudge, which was strange as he'd expected the situation to be similar to last time. Who knows, maybe the Aurors would burst in any minute and he'd end up in Azkaban with his dear Godfather. He was sure Fudge would be delighted, killing two birds with one stone and all that riot.

He collapsed on the bed after a quick shower and _Scourgifying_ 'the dog' a few times to make sure it was throughly cleaned. There were few things he refused to do in his life. One of them was washing his naked godfather, even if he was currently a shaggy mutt. He was sure it'd be a demeaning experience for the both of them. He'd decided to name 'the dog' Paddy, after Padfoot, just in case somebody spotted him with it and he had to introduce him.

He wasn't sure what he was going to do with the man yet but he was sure he'd work it out in the morning once his Husband showed up. Until then he was happy to wait and spend the time with Sirius, although he looked like a dog and had absolutely no idea his godson was clued into his identity it was still nice to have the company. Escpecially after he'd lost the man so soon after he'd first found him. It was nice to have him back.

* * *

The knock at the door was what woke him up from his reverie.

He had been fast asleep, the black dog curled up at the bottom of his bed in the leaky cauldron. It was probably around lunchtime and he'd stepped in after being magically exhausted from the night before. Now he was wide awake, wondering who the hell was at his door.

He fumbled for the handle, his vision blurry and sleep in his eyes. Curse his stupid glasses.

No sooner than the door was opened was it slammed again and he was hit by a familiar blond bullet.

His back hit the wall and a pair of soft, yet demanding lips met his. Kissing and nibbling on his bottom lip until it bled ever so slightly. Harry didn't mind one bit.

The hands began to stray from where they'd been tangled in his hair and inched their way down his back, running and clenching across his muscles until he felt them grasp his ass, hardness grinding against his thigh.

Reluctantly, he pulled away.

He stared down at Draco with lust-filled eyes and a fond smile on his face, his eyes made a small movement to the bed where the dog was lying there watching them, shocked and intent. The blond nodded once in understanding and stepped back, Harry didn't miss the slightly disappointed look in his eye.

"It's been way too long Dragon".

"I know. Life at the manor's been hard, seeing my Mother, Lucius..."

"I understand what you mean", said Harry, looking again at the dog shaped Sirius on the bed.

They sat down on the floor together, Harry absently playing with the blonde's hair and Draco snuggled up against his side and clasping his spare hand whilst rubbing his thumb across the back of it. "I love you so much Harry."

"I love you too".

They stayed like that for a little while longer before they both decided to address the elephant in the room. "What are we going to do with him?" Draco gestured towards the dog, still looking shocked on the bed.

"We give him some food and send him on his way."

Draco looked at him confused, "What about getting him cleared?" he whispered.

Harry shook his head, "Some things need to play out. We need the rat for that anyway. The best opportunity is to at least wait till we're at Hogwarts, then we can use all of our resources there to our advantage".

They both agreed on that and decided to take Sirius to the park on Horizont Alley later that afternoon and let him go, hopefully he'd find his way to Hogwarts later in the year and they'd see him again soon.

They both made sure that they looked less ok before they left the small room and headed out through the brick wall and into the main alley where the shops were and decided it was about time to start purchasing their school books, not that they really needed them having learnt all of the information over a decade ago. Still, it didn't hurt to look prepared. Near the end of the trip they went to Horizont Alley, there Harry went to a magical opticians where he got a new pair of silver glasses, prescribed perfectly, and some self cleaning contact lenses for when he preferred not to wear the glasses.

Next was the clothes store where he and Draco both heartily agreed they needed to restock their wardrobes. Draco bought some jeans and casual wear to counteract his traditional pureblood robes and Harry bought new versions of everything in multiple colours and patterns. And they all fit! He stared at himself in the mirror proudly afterwards, he looked nothing like his thirteen year old self from the first time around. And that's because he wasn't. In many ways, that was a good thing. The trip to the past may've been impromptu, but he'd make it worthwhile. He was sure of it.

"You look great love".

He leant back into the arms now wrapped around his waist and smiled, knowing, quite vainly, that he was quite true.


	4. Chapter 3

**Author's Notes:** Weasley's return with a flashback to the past. Keep reading for more.

* * *

Hello - Normal Text

"Hello" - Speech

 **Hello** \- Dream or Flashback

 _'hello'_ \- Thoughts

 _$hello$_ \- Parseltongue

* * *

Chapter 3

Harry glanced around the Leaky Cauldron nervously before returning his attention to the plate of roast dinner in front of him, still weary of his surroundings. He heard the clear of a throat and looked up to where Draco was staring at him across the table, he looked the epitome of elegance, even when eating mashed potatoes with a spoon.

The blond had given his parents another excuse to get himself out of the house to visit Diagon Alley where his husband/not-husband had been staying for the last few weeks. Today it was the 31st of August, meaning they only had a day left till they'd be on the Hogwarts Express going back to school for the first time in any years.

"Yes?" Harry asked expectantly.

"Is there a reason you keep looking at the door every 10 seconds". Harry scowled and stabbed his beef a bit too hard.

"Last time, after I blew up my Aunt, Fudge was already waiting here for me when I got here. This time, nothing. I performed underaged magic, in front of a muggle. Don't forget the fact that I practically burnt her to a crisp, that's permanent damage, aggravated assault. I could go to Azkaban! But I don't see any Aurors or Hitwizards. It's like they don't even know", he looked around warily again.

Draco raised his eyebrow, "Maybe they actually don't know..."

Harry snorted, "Oh please. In my second year they picked up a levitation charm and it wasn't even me doing it!"

"Yes well back then, the magic sensors at the ministry would've traced that there was an underaged wizard in the house and there was magic being performed without a magical adult", he took a sip of his juice, "this time, they know there's a magical child in the house, but if they were to run the magical sensors on the spell performed, it would clearly show it came from an adult."

A look of realisation came over Harry's face, "My magic is still 26, even if my body isn't."

Draco nodded smiling, "Whatever spell bought us here, it removed the soul and magic of our younger selves and replaced it with that of older selves. Which is why we don't need to worry about the Horcrux this time, that part of your soul has already been vanished to some kind of metaphysical realm. We can't see it and it doesn't affect us at all anymore. It can't act as an anchor if it has nothing to anchor itself to."

Harry nodded to himself slowly, "I always wondered why I could still speak Parseltongue even after Voldemort died and the Horcrux was gone".

Draco shrugged, "The second you first spoke it, it became a part of your magic, Parseltongue is a magical language and it needs to tie itself to your core to be able to speak it. Once the ability merged with your core, it became as much a part of you as it was a part of him".

"I didn't know that", Harry frowned.

"I did some research with the Unspeakables. It's one of the reasons why Parseltongue spells will always be more powerful than those in any other language. It's a primal language, connected straight to the core of magic itself with nothing to channel or get in between it. It's pure, undiluted power."

"Well that makes me feel a lot better about having to defeat Voldemort...again...".

Draco leant back and crossed his arms, "This time we have a distinct advantage. We're smarter and more powerful than before and we have knowledge of every single one of his moves from here to the battle of Hogwarts. The only thing we need to decide is the cut of point."

"Cut off point?"

Draco smirked, "When do we bring down the hammer. If we know all of his actions, we can stop all of his raids and save loads of people. But if he knows somebody keeps on stopping his every move, he'll start changing his tactics and all of our extra knowledge will be useless. We need to decide which things we can afford to change and when so that we can keep things on a certain course. If you think about it, the earliest we can defeat him is about sixth year."

Harry scowled, "Sixth year? Thats a long way away".

Draco took on a contemplative look then stared at Harry as if assessing him, "Harry. We have to let Pettigrew get away".

Harry's face took on an angry expressions, the fury practically radiating from him, "Fuck off. No".

Draco shook his head, "There are very few truly significant things that happen this year except from Sirius nearly losing his life and Pettigrew escaping. One the rat gets away, he goes off to Voldemort and gets him resurrected. That has to happen, you can't kill somebody that's not alive."

Harry frowned, "So that goblet of fire?"

"Still has to happen. Except this time, Cedric Diggory isn't going to die".

Harry let out a sigh of relief that he'd been holding in since the start of the conversation, "Sirius?"

Draco sat in silence for a few minutes then look up, "Fifth year and Umbridge has to happen. Voldemort laid low that year because nobody believed he was back so we have to make sure that happens again otherwise he'll start launching raids left right and centre. You have to go to the ministry, the prophecy has to be smashed and everybody has to see that he's back at that point. But Sirius will be nowhere near that veil, that's settled. If we have to cover him in the invisibility cloak and stick him to a wall then so be it. You aren't losing your Godfather again."

Harry smiled at him happily from across the table and grasped his hand in his own, "Thank you".

"I don't want to see you suffer Leo, not again".

They sat in an amiable silence for a while, just holding each others hands and finishing their lunch in the far corner of the Leaky Cauldron where it was darkest and most discrete. Thank god nobody had noticed so far that Harry Potter was dining with Draco Malfoy of all people.

Then the door creaked open and noise filled the room, far louder than the quiet murmuring of conversation from before.

"What's up ronniekins"-

"Are you afraid of spiders?"

Two tall, identical redheads walked past, trailing another. The one in front was equally as tall with flaming red hair and currently very red ears.

"Piss of you two".

Harry had frozen at the sight of Fred and George. He could remember the Battle Of Hogwarts clearly. Fred lying dead on the floor in the Great Hall, eyes wide and glassy with shock as if he could've never seen his own death coming. George was crying, clutching his body hard to his chest and sobbing as if his heart had just broken solidly in two.

Yet here they both stood, happy and teasing their younger brother with the same ease they'd had all those years ago. Still finishing each others sentences. He remembered back when he first visited George after what happened to Fred, sometime he'd start speaking and then he'd trail of as if waiting for his twin to swoop in and finish but it would never happen and he'd just be left staring at the wall blankly.

He'd tried to put his work into WWW but it never really worked, Fred was always the most outgoing of the two, the one with the ideas, whereas George was the executor, only ever doing things when prompted by his twin. Without Fred, George had lost the passion for his business that he used to have in spades.

"Draco, I want you to stand up and start walking for the door. Remember to sneer on the way out".

The blond furrowed his eyebrows for a moment then his eyes zeroed in on the brood of redheads.

"Weasels", he hissed through clenched teeth.

"Go", Harry whispered, "Before they spot us together".

"Like hell I'm leaving you with them", Draco whispered furiously. "They've been nothing but bastards to the both of us".

* * *

 **Harry wasn't entirely sure how he'd ended** **up like this.**

 **If somebody had've told his 11 year old self that one day he'd be regularly shagging Draco Malfoy he'd probably have vomited on the carpet.**

 **It had all began at the start of term, 8th year. After the war so many people had missed out on their education after the horrors of their last year and the torture the Carrows put many of the students under. The new Headmistress, Professor McGonogall, had decided to open up the school with an optional 8th year for those who had missed out to come back and repeat their exams if they wanted to. Quite a few of the people from Harry's year had obliged. He and Ron had decided to come back for 6 months to complete all the NEWTs they needed to get into the Auror Academy. Hermione was staying for the whole year and putting in as much effort to get straight O's as possible.**

 **When Harry had seen the returning Slytherins, at first he'd been rather pissed to say the least.**

 **There were only a few. Pansy Parkinson, Daphne Greengrass, Blaise Zabini and Draco Malfoy. He remembered Greengrass and Zabini to have at least some semblance of neutrality throughout the war. The other two were quite the opposite. Malfoy had they Dark Lord living in his house at one point for Merlin's sake.**

 **They'd avoided each other like the plague, there wasn't even any of the sneers or sly comments, their eyes just passed over each other as if the other didn't exist.**

 **Then one night they'd both snapped.**

 **Harry was on his way back from the library one night after a heavy study session in the restricted section (DADA NEWT's required a basic knowledge of the Dark Arts to get a pass) when he'd ran into the Malfoy himself.**

 **Things had kicked off from there, curses shouted, growled words of anger and hatred. They built up so much fury in the both of them that they both needed a release. And they got it. Just not in the way they'd both intended.**

 **The next day he'd woken up in the room of requirement, curled up on the floor in a pile of pillows with a dull ache in his ass and a blond teen wrapped around him.**

 **They'd kept on doing it after that.**

 **It started as just breaking down built up anger, something to give them both release. They didn't speak except for garbled moans for 'faster' or 'more'. Then, once they were done, they'd cast cleaning spells, pull on their clothes and walk out as if nothing ever happened.**

 **It was casual, no strings attached sex. Until one day it wasn't.**

 **One day, they'd both ended up in the ROR and they both stood there, staring at each other. Then Draco broke down.**

 **He'd collapsed on the pillows and sobbed for about an hour, Harry had pulled him to his chest and rubbed his back in an awkward show of affection.**

 **Then after that they talked.**

 **After they shagged they'd always talk, about how their day was or their childhood. Harry learnt all about Draco's favourite foods and colours and his favourite activities with his mother when he was just 8 years old. Soon, he knew more about Draco than he knew about his best friends.**

 **It was about that point that Harry realised he was in love, and it scared him.**

* * *

 **Harry had just stumbled back through the portrait hole after a long steamy session of sex in the locker room showers after the latest quidditch match. The evidence of Gryffindors win was still over the common room floor in the remnants of the party and only a few people were still awake.**

 **He collapsed on the sofa opposite where Hermione and Ron were playing chest and groaned, cursing Draco for the pain in his ass. It didn't matter, he gave as good as he got.**

 **The two looked up from their game and stared at him quizzically.**

 **"Where've you been Harry? We've been worried sick", said Hermione in her usual mothering tone.**

 **"Ya look like shit mate. Have you been drinking?"**

 **"Ron!" Hermione exclaimed, whacking him on the back of the head. "Language!"**

 **"Sorry 'Mione. But seriously mate, you do".**

 **Harry sighed lightly and tried to bury his face in a pillow to avoid their questioning stares, "I took a shower".**

 **Hermione stood up from her chair and came to peer over at him, then she gasped slightly, "Harry...is that a hickey?"**

 **Harry's heart froze, he forgot to apply the glamours.**

 **He looked up weakly, "Yes?"**

 **She shook her head slightly in shock and sat down beside him and rested her hand on his arm, rubbing it soothingly, "You told us you didn't get back with Ginny".**

 _ **'They think I'm with Ginny?'**_

 **Ron looked down at him in shock, his eyes wide in horror, "Mate have you been shagging my sister? I mean...I hate to have to give you the big brother talk but..."**

 **He groaned, much louder this time and sat up, wincing slightly at the pain, "No Ron. I'm not shagging Ginny."**

 **Hermione tilted her head in question, "What do you mean? I thought you told Ginny you were gonna get back together after the war".**

 **"You thought he told me what?"**

 **He turned around and saw her, Ginny, standing right behind him. She was still dressed in her quidditch gear and looked to be a bit flustered from all the attention she'd been getting after the match. She smiled down at him lightly and his heart, which used to flutter in her presence, plummeted to his feet.**

 **Ron perked up, "Hey Gin. We were just talking about you and Harry getting back together".**

 _ **'Oh fuck no. Please not now'.**_

 **She looked down at him hopefully, her eyes twinkling in a manner he'd only ever seen on Dumbledore, "Really?"**

 **He put his face in his hands and shook his head ruefully, trying to think of something to say to get him out of this mess.**

 **"Look Ginny..."**

 **"I was thinking, you know, you said we'd get back together after the war and you hadn't said anything yet so I thought maybe you were a bit shy...I thought I would ask you to go to Hogsmeade with me..."**

 **His mind took him back to the date with Cho Chang in Madam Puddifoots, surrounded by pink frills and soppy couples. He cringed visibly.**

 **"Ginny, I'm really sorry, but I don't think we'd work out".**

 **The room went horribly silent and she felt three pairs of eyes staring at him intently. Ginny in sadness, Hermione's in confusion and Ron's in anger.**

 **"What do you mean it won't work out?"**

 **He looked up to see Ron fizzling in barely repressed anger. "Ron..."**

 **"I thought you told her you loved her. Were you using her? What did you think you would do huh? Shag Ginny and throw her away like trash?"**

 **"Ron!" Hermione screeched. Ginny looked close to tears and she'd hugged her arms around herself, sobbing quietly.**

 **"What did I do?" Ginny said ever so quietly, "Was I not good enough?"**

 **Harry frowned, that wasn't true. She was a great person, kind and passionate and caring, and if he was straight he'd probably be all for her. But he wasn't , and to be honest looking back on their relationship he found she reminded him far too much of his mother for his liking. And as much as he wanted to be like his father, that was just a step too far.**

 **"Look Ginny, it really isn't you it's not me".**

 **She frowned and her brows furrowed but she stayed silent, Ron however was raging, "Don't give her that bullshit. Tell us the truth".**

 **His heart clenched and he stood up, "I wasn't lying. It is me. Ginny, you're not...you're not my type and to be honest as much as I love you Ginny, it's only as a friend. I could force myself to be with you but it wouldn't be fair on either of us, you deserve better than that."**

 **She nodded slightly and launched herself into his arms sobbing and murmuring "Thank you". He was glad she understood, even if Ron didn't.**

 **Ron scowled, "What do you mean not your type? You don't mean..." he looked at Hermione in horror.**

 **"No I don't like Hermione".**

 **Hermione looked shocked and Ron looked outraged, "What are you trying to do Potter? Steal my Girlfriend?"**

 **"Ron", he took a deep breath and turned to look him dead in the eye, "I'm Gay. And I'm in love with somebody else".**

 **The room went dead quiet once again and Ginny was staring at him with a small smile on her face, wiping away the tears. "Thank you for being honest with me Harry".**

 **"Thank you for caring".**

 **Hermione hadn't said a word in a while and to be honest Harry didn't want to know what she would say.**

 **"Who?" Ron asked in a deathly whisper.**

 **"Draco Malfoy".**

* * *

 **Ron was pissed. It didn't take that long for it to reach the rest of the Weasley's.**

 **Hermione had sided with Ron, purely because of the fact she loved him. Percy, it turns out, was a huge homophobe which wasn't that surprising. He'd turn his nose up at him and stare in disgust every time their paths crossed at the ministry. Mrs Weasley was disappointed with him, giving him sad mournful looks every time he showed up at the burrow as if mourning the death of his romance with her 'little baby girl'. She'd got it in her head they'd marry apparently. Mr Weasley went along with everything she said naturally and George was so withdrawn that he hardly even noticed the turmoil. It was the end of his relationship with the Weasleys.**

 **But it was ok. Because 2 weeks after the explosion in the common room, he'd told Draco Malfoy he loved him, and listened as the man hesitantly said it back. About a year after that they were engaged and the year after they were married in a small wedding with only a few friends there to watch. He enrolled in the Auror Academy and Draco with the Unspeakables.**

 **Life went on. But it still hurt  
**

 **He and Ginny had become friends quickly, her almost replacing her brother as his new best friend. They'd meet almost every day for coffee after work and gossip for hours on end about her quidditch career or the goings on at the ministry. She'd attended his wedding and took pictures, smiling the whole time. He and Draco did the same for her wedding with Christopher Beaumont, a French Quidditch player who she'd met through work. He also witnessed the birth of her first child as well.** **  
**

 **He mourned the loss of the closest thing he had to family, but he got a new one. One that he could truly call his own. And maybe, one day, he and Draco would have a few kids for themselves. A man could wish.**

* * *

"It's ok Draco. I can handle this, act normal remember?"

The blond haired man gave a curt nod and started to walk towards the door, plastering a well practiced sneer across his face.

"Well look, if it isn't the Weasley's. If you're looking for free charity here you'll be sorely disappointed", he looked at their dirty ruffled clothes in disdain.

"Piss off Malfoy", mumbled Ron, his ears even redder than before if possible.

"I was going anyway, I wouldn't want to spend any more time around the riff raff", then he sauntered off with all the decorum of a high status pureblood, sending one last lingering look at Harry as he went.

It didn't take long before the red headed brood spotted him hiding in the corner and pulled him over to a larger table that would seat all of them. Hermione engulfed him in a massive hug and he smiled ever so slightly, as much as he acted her for running off with Ron and abandoning him, he still missed her as a friend and it always hurt to see her leave. Maybe if her did things differently this time he wouldn't have to, he wasn't so sure about Ron but he supposed he'd figure it out as he went along. Maybe if he could work the anger and jealousy out of him he'd get back the old Ron, the one that used to be his best friend.

"Hi 'Mione. Long time no see huh?"

She sniffled into his hair, "You haven't written at all in the last few weeks! And with Sirius Black on the loose, you could've been dead for all we knew!"

"Sorry, I've been busy. Shopping and things I've been trying to get in some studying before the new year".

Hermione beamed at him proudly and Ron groaned, "Don't be turning into Hermione alright mate. Next you'll be quitting the quidditch team!"

He chuckled slightly and Hermione looked down at him, hands on her hips signalling she was about to start ranting, "Why the hell did you leave the Dursleys? Nobody knew where you were."

He scratched the back of his neck awkwardly, "Yes well you see there was a bit of a mishap with my Aunt Marge and I thought it was best to leave, to diffuse the tension you know?" He grimaced, remembering the sight of burning Marge. He didn't think he'd ever eat pork again after seeing that disgusting sight.

Luckily, Hermione seemed to let it go and relaxed slightly before prattling on about electives, "I've been looking into all sorts of Arithmancy, it's like magic through use of maths although it doesn't really get much harder than Algebra. You can use it to calculate spell power and trajectory and even create spells if you combine it with Ancient Runes, which is in itself a very fascinating subject." She turned to him thoughtfully, "What electives did you choose Harry?"

He smiled at her familiar academic vitriol, "Ancient Runes, Care and Divination".

He'd chosen Care because of Hagrid, not wanting to upset him and truly enjoying his lessons before the Hippogriff incident. Something that wouldn't happen anyway thanks to Draco being less of a pompous snob nowadays.

He'd taken Divination for a few reasons. One to keep an eye on Trelawney, having seen with his own eyes how many of her odd predictions turned out to be true he didn't want to miss a single one of them, just in case they'd help him. The second was the odd affinity for Tarot cards he'd picked up after solving a case where the murderer left the cards behind as their symbol.

He'd chosen Runes because in all honesty it was extremely useful. Parseltongue runes were very powerful due to their nature, as explained by Draco, and could be very good in wards or healing spells. Runes were usually the basis of spell creation and if he could learn how to properly construct a Parseltongue spell of his own it would be very useful.

"I'm so proud of you Harry, finally putting some thought into your studies. Runes is a very good choice, and we'll be in the same class! Isn't that great!"

"Yeah", he smiled warily.

"Now come on, I don't know about you two but I really need to get some shopping done before tommorow".

And then they were being dragged off into Diagon Alley without a second thought.

* * *

 **Author's notes:** I hope you enjoyed the little flashback into Harry and Draco's past. I might be including some more later on if they're relevant to the plot. I have been posting a lot of chapters recently, mostly to try and get all of my ideas down on paper, soon I'll probably start posting only once a week it depends on if I'm busy. Thanks again!


	5. Chapter 4

**Author's notes:** **WARNING!** Slashy Lemon Ahead! I'll mark off the section just in case you want to skip ahead. Just thought I'd warn you before it came back to bite you in the ass. This story is rated M, don't say I didn't warn you.

Back to Hogwarts in this installment and some familiar faces will return. Read on for more.

* * *

Hello - Normal Text

"Hello" - Speech

 **Hello** \- Dream or Flashback

 _'hello'_ \- Thoughts

 _$hello$_ \- Parseltongue

* * *

Chapter 4

Harry, Ron and Hermione were standing in the Magical Menagerie. Hermione was staring around at all the animals, stuck between a beautiful tawny owl and mongrel ginger hal-kneazle that would soon become known as Crookshanks. Ron was looking in the small pets section, asking worriedly about rat tonic and whatever possible illnesses he believed 'Scabbers' to have.

Harry considered absently whether he could slip some poison into the tonic when he remembered Draco's words, "You can't kill somebody that's not dead". Pettigrew had to resurrect Voldemort, whether he liked it or not.

He drifted over towards the back of the shop where it was warmer and the smaller animals resided.

 _$Stupid humans. Always feeding me dead mice. They can't even clean out my tank properly$_

He stared down at the creature in the tank in shock. It was a snake, about the length and half the width of his arm. Its skin was shimmery mix of green, blue and silver that seemed to fade in and out almost like the tide, its eyes were a dull red almost like blood but for some reason less menacing. It was glaring up at him, or at least he assumed it was glaring, he didn't have much experience with snake facial expressions. Despite that, it still looked beautiful.

 _$Hello$_ he hissed softly, making eye contact.

The snake looked up in something akin to shock, _$A speaker? You speak the language?$_

 _$If you mean Parseltongue then yes, I do$._ The snake shook its head, an odd sight to harry, _$We snakes_ _merely call it The Language. I have never met a speaker before, they are very rare$_

Harry nodded absently, _$I have only met one but I've read about others.$_ Suddenly he went silent and a thought occurred to him, a vicious grin spread across his face and he turned back to the snake. _$Say. How would you like to have a new owner?$_

* * *

Ron and Hermione were staring at him in complete shock.

"Mate, there's a snake around your shoulders."

He stroked the snake as it butted its head against his head, practically purring. "I know, isn't she beautiful". _$You're very beautiful$,_ he hissed and Hermione went completely still. Right, Basilisk. He forgot.

"Harry", Hermione prodded gently, "Why have you got a snake?"

He smiled down at the snake, "I saw her in the back of the shop and she looked beautiful. She's very nice as well, I decided to buy her. They weren't treating her very well anyway".

Ron shook his head, "Whatever you say mate but seriously, people aren't gonna like this at school".

Harry shrugged, "Whatever. I know I'm not the heir of Slytherin and that's all the matters. She's positively harmless, and dead useful swell. Think about it, with Sirius Black around it'd be great if we could have Persephone around to watch our backs, nobody would be able to sneak up on us then".

They both nodded their head reluctantly and Hermione began to regain some composure, "Persephone?"

"Queen of the underworld", he shrugged as if it was a completely normal name. Then he started cooing to the snake whilst his friends looked on like he was a lunatic.

* * *

It was later that evening, after dinner with all the Weasleys and everyone was all talked out, when Arthur Weasley approached him to give him _the talk._

"Harry, can I speak to you for a minute?" asked Mr Weasley slightly nervous.

Harry acquiesced, already knowing what was coming, and followed the man to the other side of the room and behind one of the brick dividers. The man was twiddling his thumbs absently, obviously nervous of the conversation that was to come.

"I take it you've heard of Sirius Black?" he asked, obviously not wanting to explain this part of the story.

"Yes", he scowled. He knew a lot about Sirius Black, and what he knew was the truth.

"I just needed to make sure I reminded you Harry, whatever happens and whatever you find out, don't go after him. Can you promise me you won't Harry?"

He wouldn't go after Sirius, the man would find him, had already found him, and he was in no danger at all.

"He was a very loyal follower of", his voice dropped to a whisper, "You-Know-Who. He would do anything to bring back his master, that includes killing you Harry. You have to stay where we can keep you safe".

"Of course Mr Weasley", he nodded, "I won't go looking for trouble." _'But that doesn't mean it won't find me'._

* * *

Just like last time, they took the ministry cabs to Kings Cross. It still shocked him how it took him so long to figure out what Sirius had supposedly did to his parents. He may be the Boy-Who-Lived but even that wasn't a big enough deal for all of the effort the ministry put into keeping him away from the Azkaban escapee.

They arrived late and had to rush to haul their trunks onto the train, there were only a few compartments left. And in one of them, lying asleep on the seat was a very familiar person.

Remus John Lupin.

Hermione looked down at the Werewolf in confusion, "Who is that?"

She knelt down and looked at his ragged appearance for a few minutes before sitting back on the opposite seat with an odd expression on her face.

"His name is Remus Lupin, he's our new Defence Professor", Harry said sitting down next to the man and pulling out a book in Parseltongue about Runes that he'd had Draco send him over the summer. Hermione was staring at him expectantly and he looked up from his book.

"I wanted to make sure we didn't have another Lockhart situation." "And?" "We don't".

She nodded once curtly and the train began to move at a slow pace.

It was about twenty minutes in when Harry decided to get up and explore. He put a bookmark in his book, closed it and packed it away in his trunk. Hermione was reading Hogwarts: A History again and Ron was already beginning to doze off in the corner. He smiled at Hermione and started to walk out, "Where're you going Harry?"

"Just for a walk". She. shrugged and he walked off without another word.

At the front section of the train was the prefects compartment and the room where Slughorn had invited him to dinner. The section just after that was predominantly controlled by Slytherins. Before he wouldn't have touched the place, but now he squared his shoulders and persevered.

He found Draco's compartment quickly, making his way through all the heckles and glares of the most vocal purebloods, many just sneered and went back to what they were doing.

Draco was sitting alone and reading a book about Runes, similar to his own but about Egyptain Hieroglyphs instead. Harry opened the door to the compartment and looked down at the blond smiling lecherously. He turned around and brandished his wand, casting the strongest locking and silencing charms he knew in Parseltongue and obscuring the windows so that anybody who looked through would only see black.

Then he turned around and chucked his wand to the side and started to unbutton his short sleeved shirt slowly. He looked down at Draco. His high cheekbones, the silvery eyes and strong jawline that he so adored. His hair was ruffled in just the way he liked and looked so soft to the touch. As beautiful as he looked now, he looked much better naked.

He pulled his shirt off and chucked it to the side so that it landed on the floor on top of his wand. He could see Draco's pupils begin to dilate as he stared at his muscles. Over the summer Harry had begun to work on building up the physique he'd lost during his time travel escapade and he was glad to say, with all of his spare time, he'd made quite a bit of progress.

"We've been meeting on and off for the last month Dragon and not once have you touched me in the way I want you too." He took one slow step forward, as if a predator advancing on his prey. "This time you won't be getting away."

He pulled the book from the man's arms and put it on the other seat, making sure Draco had his full attention. He bought his face close to the mans ear and nibbled on the shell, blowing on the now red mark to soothe it. "I may've been too late last time Dragon, but this time I will be the one to have the pleasure of taking your virginity".

The blond shivered, his pupils now fully dilated as he stared up at him in lust. "There's nothing in the world I want more".

 ****WARNING!LEMON!****

Their lips met in furious passion, going from soft to rough and demanding in less than a second. Harry straddled Draco's thighs and ground his pelvis against the man below him, smirking into the kiss when he realised they were both half hard already.

He ran his tongue across the other mans lips to ask for entrance and it was allowed almost immediately, their teeth clashed as their tongues raced to intertwine after so long apart. He sucked and nibbled, savouring the flavour of pumpkin and cinnamon that was present in his lovers mouth. Sweet and inviting, just begging for him.

His fingers fumbled for buttons and they were undone quickly, barely pausing to pull the shirt off until they were both topless. Their lips disconnected as he looked down at the semi-naked body before him and ran his hands across the lean muscles that were beginning to form. He loved the pale alabaster skin and how it looked against the rosy flushed pink of the mans hard nipples.

He ran his fingers in a circle around them and rolled them between his thumb and forefinger as his mouth found its way to Draco's strong jawline, kissing the pale skin, and then down to his neck where he sucked and nibbled right on the man's pulse point where he could feel his heart rate and hear the beautiful reverberating moans of his ministrations.

"I've missed this too much". Draco's response was lost amongst his moans but he could tell he shared the sentiment.

His hands left the mans nipples and found their way down to the zipper of his trousers, he lifted his hips slightly so he could get his hand between their interlocked pelvises and he began to unzip both of their trousers. He pulled away, standing up so that he was able to pull Draco's trousers off and throw it to the side where the rest of their clothes lay. He marvelled at the way his erection tented against his green boxers and could barely wait to pull them off. He started to pull his own trousers off slowly, making sure to tease the already lustful man until he was groaning, "Get on with it Leo".

He didn't object. He was back on his knees in an instant, his hands pulling the boxers down to free the straining erection. He practically drooled at the sight of them. He loved Draco's length, he wasn't sure a penis could be beautiful but if they could this would be the very definition of it. It was thick and with an angry red head that pointed up at him, twitching in anticipation. It was such a far cry from the rest of his pale skin that it was almost unnatural, but magnificent all the same.

He pulled his own boxers off so that he could palm his crotch. He looked down at his own rigid length. His was longer and thinner whereas Draco's was an inch shorter and thicker than his own. Just to each other taste's. Draco loved that Harry could hit all of the right spots and Harry loved that Draco made him feel so full. They switched a lot, never getting enough of the feel of the other.

He brushed his fingers gently over the head, testing for a reaction, and savoured the whimper he received from the blond. He grinned up at him, placing the most innocent look he could on his face, before enclosing his lips around the head and giving and experimental suck. His body may be a virgin, but his mind wasn't. And his mind knew how to give a very good blow job.

He made sure to keep eye contact the whole time he worked on Draco's erection. He ran his tongue over the underside and licked all the way up the shaft, lapping up the salty pre-cum that had already began to form. When he first started doing this for Draco, he'd thought the taste odd and unappealing but since then it had taken on a completely new flavour. The pure essence of his lover, it was how he imagine the man's magic would taste. It wasn't light or dark, it was the perfect balance of them both and it was utterly addicting.

His lips came back to the head and he sucked one more time before sinking his head down onto the whole thing, trying to keep his untrained gag reflex under control he started bobbing his head up and down at a steady rhythm. His fingers found the mans ballsack and he started stroking the most sensitive part before trailing his fingers round until his found his prize. The rosy pink puckered hole. He started the circle his fingers around it and rubbed slowly, letting one single finger enter.

Draco let out a cry that anybody else would interpret as pain but Harry knew otherwise. He smirked and sunk his head back down on the whole length and swallowed. Draco let out a loud guttural moan that made Harry's cock, if possible, even harder. He wiggled his finger inside the mans hole and wiggled slightly as he thought of the spell he required, it instantly became lubricated and his finger slid in and out effortlessly. Another finger went in and he found the hard nub that we was searching for, the blonds back ached in pleasure and he could tell the man wanted to cum.

His mouth slid off and he smiled, jaw clicking back into place, "Not until I'm inside of you". His only reply was a moan.

He pushed in a third finger and scissored, making sure that his love was fully opened up. When the fingers slipped out his lover groaned at the loss. He chuckled, "Don't worry. I've got something much better."

He lined his cock up with the virgin whole and began to push until the head was swallowed, marvelling at the way it surrounded him completely. He groaned at the tight, all-encompassing heat. And entered slowly, he didn't want to harm his lover. His body wasn't used to this after all. He stilled for a moment but a hand came to rest on his forearm, he looked up at the flushed, beautiful face of the man beneath him. Eyes filled with unwavering love and adoration. "Move Harry".

It started off slow as he began to build up a pace, their mouths met and their tongues intertwined once again. As both of their cries grew more greedy, his pace sped up rapidly as he pistoned in and out of the tight hole, barely keeping control of himself. He was slamming, over and over again, into the man's prostate and the reactions he received were astounding.

He reached down to touch Draco's length and that was all it took for the blond to be cumming, long ropes of thick pearly white shooting out of his tip and covering both of their skins. His hole clenched around Harry and the squeeze was too much as he too began cumming in the mans ass. Shooting load after load into his lover until he was completely spent.

Then his limp length slipped out and they collapsed beside eachother. He peppered kisses up and down Draco's neck and jaw. Smiling at him lazily and nuzzling into his shoulder. "Next time, you do me".

Draco carded his fingers through ebony hair, "Of course love. I can't wait".

 ****END OF LEMON****

Harry waved his hand careless to clean up the mess and then snuggled back in, wrapping his arms around Draco and sighing deeply.

"We won't have long left, I have to get back to my compartment".

Draco scowled but nodded, "I understand. Just give me a second".

He stood up and popped the lid of his trunk, pulling down a bundle of books from inside. They were both leather bound, one in green and the other red with their names engraved on them. He handed the red one to Harry and he accepted it gratefully.

"What is it?"

Draco smiled, "It's something we had in the unspeakables. We couldn't use owls or interdepartmental memos in case the letters got intercepted. Instead we used notebooks. Only we can open them and anything you write will automatically appear in mine. This way we can still keep in touch even when we don't have time to meet in the ROR."

Harry pulled him in and hugged him close to his chest, "Thank you so much".

Draco grasped his hand and circled his finger over where the wedding band would usually be, "We may not be married legally Harry, but you will always be my husband. And I can't wait for the day when I can walk you down the aisle again".

Harry laughed, "Are you proposing?"

Draco shook his head, "No. Merely promising to renew my vows. There doesn't need to be a ring on your finger ,though, for me to know that you're mine.

* * *

They both dressed quickly after that and Harry found his way back to his compartment, glamours applied and looking exactly as he did when he left. He sat down next to Remus again and smiled at Hermione, trying to ignore Ron's snoring.

"How've you been?"He asked hesitantly.

"Good. Where did you go?"

He shrugged, "I just went around and talked to some first years. Gave them info about houses and such".

"Did you tell them Gryffindor was the best?"

He shrugged shyly, "Maybe a few times".

"You shouldn't be inspiring house prejudice".

He thought back to earlier and his passionate encounter with Draco, _'Trust me Hermione. I'm not'_

Suddenly the train stopped, it was enough to jolt Ron out of his nap with a loud snort. "Waz goin on", he yawned and rubbed his eyes.

"The train stopped. We can't be at Hogsmeade yet..." Hermione's brow furrowed confusion. Harry meanwhile, already had his wand out. He knew exactly what was coming.

The cold crept up on them quickly, freezing the windows and sending shivers down their spines. His body stayed rigid, waiting for the attack that was coming.

The door opened and he looked up, staring into the eyes of death.

The hooded creature was rotted and mangled, faceless yet you could see the mouth opening as if waiting to suck your soul out. It's hand reached out, long with spindly fingers that were so thin and pale that they were almost translucent, as if fading in and out of existence. Harry felt sure that if he reached out right now it would brush straight through thin air. Black, straggled lengths of cloth brushed against the floor, sending more waves of cold air rushing towards him. The Patronus Charm, previously on his lips, had left his mind completely now as his wand dropped from his fingers. The cold seeped not only through his body but straight into his should and he knew he was going to die. He could feel it.

 **"No. Not harry! Please not Harry!"**

It was his mothers voice, calling to him, reaching out.

 **"Step aside silly girl".**

The next voice chilled him the most.

 **"Sirius!No!"**

He could see him dying.

Sirius, his godfather, a man he knew loved him to the moon and back. The only parental figure he'd ever known. The death that he'd caused through his own stupidity. He could hear the desperation in his voice in that moment, of a boy realising he'd lost it all. It was like a stab wound through the heart.

The creature was too close now and he could feel the consciousness seeping out of him. His last thought was to tell Draco he was sorry.

Then he was gone.

* * *

The familiar face of Remus Lupin was what he woke up to, crouching over him and holding a packet of chocolate.

"Eat some of this Harry", he passed the chocolate to him and he nibbled on the end slowly.

He smiled up at the man and croaked quietly, "Hello".

The man smiled at him warmly and sat down on the other side of the compartment, "I find that chocolate always seems to help with dementor attacks. Warms the heart, lifts the spirits. You should probably get some more when we get to school. I'll go up front to talk to the driver and see when we're going to be moving again. Try and rest for the rest of the ride".

Then he was up and gone. Harry smiled at the retreating form fondly, Remus had been there for him a lot after Sirius' death. They'd exchanged letters often and Remus naming him Teddy's godson was still one of the best moments of his life. He frowned, remembering the small blue haired child. He was like a little rocket, always running around and knocking into things as he went. Clumsy exactly like his mother but he was as intelligent as his father.

Harry smiled thinking of Teddy. He knew someday he'd want a child of his a Draco's. Magic made it possible for men to have children together, they could either carry or have what was known as a cauldron baby. It was sort of like IVF except instead of being implanted the baby continued to grow outside of the body in a sustained state, fed daily by nutrient potions. He love the idea of a little blond haired baby with green eyes, or ebony haired with silver. It made his heart practically melt.

Hermione was staring at him oddly, as was Ron.

"Do you think the Dementor addled his brains?" asked Ron. "He keeps staring off all dreamy like".

Harry snapped out of it quickly, "Sorry. Just fantasising".

Hermione raised an eyebrow but it wasn't mentioned again.

It didn't take long for the train to arrive at Hogsmeade station, it was only a second later when they were ambushed by Slytherins.

"Hey Potter!" he turned and saw Draco sauntering towards him with Theodore Nott, Crabbe and Goyle following closely behind. "I heard you fainted". He sounded mocking but Harry could hear and see the underlying tones of worry in the blond and his heart constricted at the fact they couldn't be seen in public together. Not yet.

"What's it to you Malfoy?" Ron spoke up from behind him. Draco sneered in his direction and walked off in the opposite direction without another word, the trio followed behind him slightly confused with his lack of reaction but shrugged it off.

Blaise Zabini walked past, raising his eyebrow at Harry in askance, a smirk on his lips. In the future Blaise was Draco's version of Ginny. Ex-turned best friend and all that. Harry found that he had an odd sense of wisdom, knowing things about people before they knew them themselves. Sort of like a less crazy Luna Lovegood. Harry knew he was Bi, maybe he'd set them up. He nodded at Blaise in reply and the dark skinned teen chuckled and shook his head ever so slightly, he'd obviously seen the same thing that Harry had seen in Draco's eyes and put it together. He was weird like that. But he trusted Blaise not to say anything, he was Draco's friend after all.

"What was up with him?" asked Hermione confused. Harry shrugged and walked off, following the procession towards the carts that would take them back to Hogwarts. Ready for the new year to begin.

* * *

 **Author's note:** Just so you know, that was my first time writing lemon. I've read a lot but I'm not sure if I'm any good at it. If you want me to write more please leave a comment or else I might not bother. Stay tuned for next time!


	6. Chapter 5

**Author's Notes:** Back to Hogwarts for the gang! A few more familiar faces and Harry's first defence lesson...Boggart's anyone?

* * *

Hello - Normal Text

"Hello" - Speech

 **Hello** \- Dream or Flashback

 _'hello'_ \- Thoughts

 _$hello$_ \- Parseltongue

* * *

Chapter 5

"Welcome back students to another wonderful year at Hogwarts school of witchcraft and wizardry".

Harry looked up at Albus Dumbledore blankly. He'd known since the beginning that the man would be alive but he didn't know what to think about him. He had good intentions, but the path to hell was paved with them. He'd been manipulative and down right ignorant of Harry's basic needs. But he'd done it all to get rid of Voldemort and he had to appreciate that fact. Harry wasn't sure he could ever trust Dumbledore, but him and the order was a very good resource have.

"I have a few important announcements to make. Professor Kettleburn, our Care of Magical Creatures Professor, has decided to retire in order to spend some time with his remaining limbs. He will be replaced by our resident groundskeeper, Professor Hagrid". Many of the Gryffindors burst into applause, including Ron,Harry and Hermione who stood on their feet and the Weasley Twins who began wolf whistling loudly. Hagrid's face had turned red and his face had split into a massive grin.

Harry had missed Hagrid a lot. 3 years after the Battle of Hogwarts he'd gotten an invite to go work at some of the mountain ranges near Beauxbatons with the wild creatures, he'd decided to take the job and had spent a lot of time with Olympe Maxime whilst he was there. They'd never gotten married or had kids but Harry could tell the romance was there. Harry just hoped Hagrid could get a happy ending like last time.

Dumbledore cleared his throat, "I'd also like to introduce you to your new Defence Professor, Mr Remus Lupin." Harry and his friends applauded loudly for him, Harry because he knew what a great teacher Remus was and Ron and Hermione because of his actions against the dementors on the train.

"This year, as I'm sure many of you have noticed from the events on the train, Hogwarts will be playing host to the Dementors of Azkaban. Rest assured, they are only here to search for Sirius Black, they will not harm you if you do not harm them. I hope you all have a wonderful night's rest and we'll see you all for lessons tomorrow". With that he gave a satisfied nod and gave the signal for all of the students to start leaving for lessons. Ron was snorting, "They won't hurt us. Yeah right, Harry almost lost his blooming soul earlier."

Hermione was nodding along angrily in the righteous mood Harry only ever saw her in about house elves, "I don't know what the ministry was thinking! Bringing those foul creatures into a school for Morgana's sake. What happens when it injures one of the first years? Or they decide they're hungry and invade the grounds? It's downright dangerous! Maybe we should protest".

"NO!" Harry and Ron shouted in unison. They shared a look. "What we mean is, there's no reason we have to make a big deal about it". Ron nodded in agreement, "I'm sure Dumbledore has it completely under control".

They arrived back in the common room and took their regular seats by the fireplace. Hermione and Ron pulled out a chess set and engaged in some mindless chatter whilst they played. Harry's gaze wandered across the room until it zeroed in on one corner. There, sitting on a large leather armchair, was Ginny Weasley. She looked so small and lost there alone and his heart melted at the sight of the usually fiery girl looking so alone. He knew she'd had a hard time making friends after the Chamber Incident and he cursed his younger self for not checking up on her properly after the first time it happened. He stood up abruptly and made his way over to that side of the room, ignoring Ron's protests as he left. He would make sure he got Ginny back to normal

He sat down on a bean bag opposite her and put a gentle smile on his face. She squeaked and stuttered, "H-Hi Harry".

"Hello Ginny, how was your summer?"

She gulped audibly and tried to smile, "It was ok. Fred and George have been really nice and they've stopped pranking me so much. We visited Bill in Egypt and we saw all of the tombs. I've got lots of pictures if you want to see". He voice was small and slightly raspy and he offered her a comforting smile.

"Look, Gin, I'm sorry I didn't send you a letter over the holiday to check up. I didn't send any to Ron or Hermione either..." he frowned slightly, "if you ever want to speak about what happened last year I'll be happy to talk to you ok? I know I can't understand what you went through but I can certainly try".

She smiled brightly, her face splitting open and her eyes lighting up. She pulled him into a large hug and chirped, "Thank you so much Harry!", before she skipped off to her dorm room. Her red hair waving in a flurry behind her.

He let out a sudden groan and buried his face in his hands, _'Oh God. It's the return of the crush...what have I done? How to let her down easily..."_

He headed up to his dorm room quickly after and shut the door behind him. He reached into his trunk and pulled out a large tank that he placed on his bedside table. He cast a lighting charm and a heating charm on the rock inside and leant down into his trunk.

 _$Persephone you can come out now$_

The snake slithered out gracefully onto the floor and looked up at him questioningly. He pointed towards the tank and she slithered up and inside before lying down on the rock. She snuggled up and let out a pleased hiss, _$Thank you Masssster Harry$_

 _$Jussst Harry pleassee$_

She nodded and snuggled up to go to sleep. Just then the door burst open and in walked Ron, he stared down at the tank with wide eyes, "You still have the snake."

"Her name's Persephone and of course I do. Isn't she wonderful".

Ron just shook his head and climbed into bed, mumbling about crazy best friends and scary snakes trying to frighten him to death. Harry just chuckled slightly and went to sleep himself.

* * *

"I don't know about you two but I am so excited for our first defence lesson! Lockhart and Quirrel were complete jokes, hopefully Professor Lupin will be a lot better."

Rona and Harry shared an amused glance, "'Mione...last year you were completely head over heels for Lockhart. You knew his favourite colour and everything." Her cheeks went a flaming read and she flipped her frizzy hair, "Oh honestly Ronald. That wasn't even real I was probably struck on the head by a stray curse or something, or better yet maybe you were".

"No it was definitely you Hermione", Harry mumbled under his breath as he spooned more owl hoops into his mouth.

In truth, his mind was wandering far off to something else. He remembered his first Defence lesson with the Boggart and cringed. Last time he didn't get to face the boggart in front of the class but he'd found out later on that it was a Dementor. He wasn't so sure that was his biggest fear anymore. The first thought that popped into his head was a dead Draco. Did he fear that? Well of course, but was it his biggest fear? He knew one day they both would die and he knew that he wouldn't be able to deal with it if it happened. But did he spend every waking hour dreading it? Did it make his heart stop every time he thought of it? No. They lived in the present, it didn't do to dwell on that. He knew that once Draco left this earth, he would be gone soon after. That wasn't a fear, that was a simple fact of his life that he'd come to terms with. Draco wasn't going to die. He was too powerful, too well protected for anything to get near him.

No he wasn't scared of Draco dying. So what was he scared of?

What if when faced with the Boggart it turned into something too revealing? What if it gave the game away? What would he do then?

Maybe he'd just let Remus jump in front of the Boggart like last time...

No. He shook his head. It was time to face his fears.

* * *

"Books and quills away. Wands out. Today we'll be having a practical lesson!"

Draco listened as the Gryffindors cheered at the statement and scowled at the backs of their heads. _'Stupid loud Gryffindors'_

He pulled his unicorn hair wand out of the holster on bicep and clenched it tightly in his hand, standing up to follow the procession of students towards the staff room. Along the way they spotted peeves, noisy as ever and trying to stuff gum into the keyholes of all the doors. Lupin shook his head and brandished his wand.

"This is an weird little spell to learn. _Waddiwasi_ ". The wad of gum shot out of the hole and up peeves' nose who stared sneezing and thrashing around like he was possessed. Draco snickered slightly. "Come on follow me".

Lupin led them into the staff room where Snape was sitting with his arms crossed and a sneer on his face, "Be careful Lupin. With Longbottom in this class you don't know what he'll blow up. He's completely useless at potions and I wouldn't expect him to be any better in this lesson".

Lupin looked contemplative, "Well perhaps Neville would like to be useful in a demo today. Come up to the front please".

Snape scowled, "Your risk". Then he walked out, his ropes billowing dramatically behind him. Draco scowled, he'd tried to make his robes do that once and Harry had said he'd looked like a melodramatic drag queen...

Lupin nodded and bought Longbottom to the front of the class and placed him beside a big wardrobe that was rattling loudly as if something was trying to get out, Draco raised his eyebrow.

"Does anybody know what's in this wardrobe?"

He looked over to Granger where her hand was waving around fanatically in the air, he snorted and lifted his own hand. Lupin raised an eyebrow at him. "Mr Malfoy?"

"It's a Boggart. They're shapeshifters that take on the form that they believe will scare us the most".

"Good job. 5 points to Slytherin". The Gryffindors groaned, now realising that their new Professor wouldn't be biased towards their house like they hoped, Draco merely smirked. He'd learnt from Harry that Lupin was a very fair man. He'd suffered a lot of prejudice himself after all. He'd once said to Harry, **"Prejudice is a two way street. A select few people don't like Muggleborns and we decide to generalise. Not every Slytherin is a bigot, just like Muggleborns aren't magic stealers or dirty blooded. Prejudice breeds hate and hate breeds war. Remember that."**

Draco was very thankful to the man for those words, they continued to give him hope. He wasn't just a Slytherin or a Malfoy. He was Draco, his own person. He couldn't just be lumped in with everyone else. He made his own choices.

"Now, we have a very good advantage over the Boggart, can anybody tell me what that is?"

Granger was still waving frantically, "Yes Miss Granger?"

She cleared her throat and smoothed down her frizzy hair, she spoke in her usual lecture town, "As there are a lot of people in this room the Boggart will get confused, not knowing which shape to turn into."

"5 points to Gryffindor. Now there's a very simple spell that we can use on a Boggart. As they feed on fear, we can weaken the boggart by feeding it a completely different emotion. Happiness, in this case through laughter. The spell that we use is called _Ridikulus._ "

"This lesson is ridiculous", he mumbled under his breath. He thought he could hear Harry snort from across the room and let a smug smirk adorn his features.

Lupin held his wand out, "Everybody repeat after me. _Ridikulus"._

 _"RIDIKULUS"_ , the class chorused in unison. Lupin nodded proudly and turned back to Longbottom, "Now Neville, what would you say is your greatest fear?"

The round boy mumbled something completely inaudible. "Speak up".

"Professor Snape", the boy said, only a little bit louder than before. The class burst into laughs and giggles. The Professor just nodded sagely, "You live with your grandmother correct?"

Neville nodded. "What I want you to do is imagine your Grandmother's worst outfit, then when I open the door cast _Ridikulus_ just as a we demonstrated".

Neville nodded again slowly and brought up his wand with a shaking hand to point at the door of the wardrobe. Lupin positioned him just in front of the wardrobe, "Everybody line up behind him and think of something that will make you laugh". He pointed his wand at the door. " _Alohomora"._

The door clicked open and a long, pale arm clad in black began the reach it's way out. The door slammed open fully and out stepped Snape, a characteristic sneer on his face. Looking dark and menacing in the lighting. " _Ridikulus"_ , Longbottom stammered. Suddenly, Snape was dressed in long green robes, high heels, a feather boa and a hat with a stuffed vulture. He looked absolutely ridiculous as he prowled around the classroom, trying to look as scary as before.

The class was in fits of laughter and the Boggart-Snape shrank back as if burnt.

"Next!" Shouted Lupin.

The class took it in turns showcasing their fears. There were mummies and spiders and banshees. Massive snakes that towered over the students and even a particularly evil looking pumpkin that Draco was sure had some kind of story behind it. He'd deliberately position himself at the back of the line, hopefully trying to avoid his turn and the awful things he might see.

Then Harry stepped up, he could see Lupin trying to get in and stop it but it was too late.

The boggart was already transforming, it was twisting and turning, and shrinking, shrinking very rapidly. Then it hit the ground with a clatter. To Draco it sounded like metal.

He couldn't see it from his position so he inched round through the circle of people that had formed to get a clearer look. What he saw shocked him.

It was so small compared to the large space that it was almost unnoticeable at first, but he could see the golden glinted against the light that drew his attention to the seemingly insignificant thing on the floor.

It was a locket, with a golden chain and a large emerald green jewel carved with a snake. He recognised it from a description Harry had given him.

Slytherin's Locket, the Horcrux.

The class was looking on confused.

How could the Boy-Who-Lived be afraid of a necklace?

But Draco understood, he understood completely.

"Harry what is that?" asked Granger, her brow furrowed.

But Harry wasn't listening, he was staring at the locket, his back to the crowd. If they could've seen him, they would've seen his eyes glazed over and gleaming a bright _Avada Kedavra_ green. He was completely entranced with the thing, he knelt down and scooped it up between his fingers and stared at it in awe. Draco looked on in horror as Harry clasped the thing between his fingers.

"Holy Shit", he whispered. But in the silence of the classroom everybody could hear him and when they saw the look on his face they realised just how bad the situation was.

Harry turned to face them, a deranged look on his face, the sort Draco had only ever seen on his Aunt Bellatrix.

"Isn't it beautiful?" Harry asked in a sing song voice. His mouth grinning widely.

Draco knew he had to intervene right now or else it's be too late. He just didn't know how. Slowly he stepped forward away from the group and lifted his wand up steadily until it was pointed at the Locket/Boggart clutched in the mans hands. Everybody was staring at him in shock and even the Professor had no idea what to do, he was completely frozen.

"Potter", he stared slowly, "put it down slowly".

Harry shook his head, "Why?"

"It's dangerous". Harry smiled sadly, "No it's not. It's beautiful".

Draco took a step closer, "It's not pretty Potter it's disgusting. You know what's inside that, it's not good. It'll only get you hurt".

"He wouldn't hurt me", Harry said with such conviction that he almost believed him. Draco almost vomited at the word he.

"There is no _he_ Potter".

Everybody was staring at the byplay in shock, what was Malfoy doing with Potter?

"You just want to take it away." His face was filled with rage and for a second he almost thought he'd seen Harry's beautiful green eyes turn red.

"I can't let you do that", and then he was raising his wand to level it with Draco's face.

" _Sectum-"_

 _"EXPELLIARMUS!"_

The locket went flying, clattered into he wardrobe and the door slammed loudly behind of it. In that moment the room went silent, then Harry's eyes filled with such horror that Draco's heart broke into tiny pieces, "Oh my God". And he collapsed to the floor.

He stared blankly at the floor for a minute, nobody's eyes left him. Then he got up and ran. Draco wanted to follow him, but he knew it'd be even more suspicious than it already was so he stayed put.

"Class dismissed", Lupin murmured. Then Draco was off like a shot.

* * *

The scene was far too reminiscent of one from sixth gear for Draco's liking. Except this time the roles were reversed.

Harry was bent over the sink in the bathroom, murmuring to himself and wrenching whilst Myrtle hovered above him crying.

"Please stop. Please".

Draco walked in, taking slow steady steps. "Harry?"

The mans neck snapped up to look at him, "Dragon...", he murmured lowly.

"Do you want to talk?"

"I don't understand, why, out of all the things in the world, was it the locket?" He asked. His voice weak and raspy.

Draco shook his head, "It's not the locket. It's what it represents. The anger, the loss of control and the uncontainable rage you felt when you wore it. It's the soul that lies inside, that was within you at one time. You spent 16 years with that thing inside you head and you didn't realise. You don't fear the locket, you fear losing yourself."

Harry nodded along in understanding, "I remember when it was first gone, the horcrux, I felt so empty. As if something was missing. I remember being terrified, thinking that his soul was all I was, that I was truly nothing after all."

Draco went up behind him and pulled him into his arms, "You're not. You're everything".

Harry flinched back, pressing himself against the wall, "How can you touch me? I could've killed you!"

Draco shrugged, "You could've killed me the first time. But I still fell in love with you. I still married you."

"Love is blind", Harry said quietly.

"Love isn't blind, when you love someone you love them for all of their flaws. I know everything you've ever done, yet I still want to spend the rest of my life with you. I love you".

"Still?"

Draco ran his hand through ebony hair, "Always".


	7. Chapter 6

**Author's Notes:** Just thought I'd mention that I've been to see Fantastic Beasts: Crimes of Grindelwald this weekend. I am very confused...

I got a review as well, shout out to j **ordans338** , and I just thought that it was important I mention that this will not be a bashing fic!

Don't get me wrong, I think Dumbles is a bit of a git, but he's definitely not an evil maniac out to destroy the world. Just a bit misguided.

Ron's reaction to Harry's relationship to Draco in the future (or the past, whatever) comes predominantly from his prejudice toward Slytherins and the fact he's always believed them to be evil. At that point he'd just come out of the war, where unfortunately most of the Death Eaters were Slytherin's, and to him Harry starting a relationship with one is betrayal.

Molly Weasley is an idealist, she wants all of her children to be safe in her loving arms and she wants everybody to be happy. That makes her very overbearing. I think she's a great mum, honest! But really, if Bill wants to have long hair just let him! Her reaction towards Harry and Draco comes off the back of his relationship with Ginny. Molly thought that now everything would be ok and everybody would get married and be happy. She was dead wrong. And the disappointment she shows comes from her realising that sometimes, not everyone has the same ideals or goals as her. She's a great person but she needs to get her priorities straight.

I'm really hoping to try and address these problems because, to me, Harry and Draco's trip to the past isn't just about keeping people alive it's about improving society and the future as a whole. Harry will be working hard on the Weasleys and fingers crossed they'll come out better in the end. Just quote Remus Lupin!

 **"Prejudice is a two way street. A select few people don't like Muggleborns and we decide to generalise. Not every Slytherin is a bigot, just like Muggleborns aren't magic stealers or dirty blooded. Prejudice breeds hate and hate breeds war. Remember that."** Love ya Remus, truly.

So, after that brief interlude, let's get on with the story!

* * *

Hello - Normal Text

"Hello" - Speech

 **Hello** \- Dream or Flashback

 _'hello'_ \- Thoughts

 _$hello$_ \- Parseltongue

* * *

Chapter 6

"I was wondering if I could speak to you Professor."

Harry looked down at the front desk in the Defence classroom where Remus Lupin was currently marking papers with vigour and smiling at the interesting essay topics of his seventh year students. He smiled up at Harry and adjusted his reading glasses, "Of course Harry. Sit down".

Harry smiled and turned around to look at the door, he nodded once and suddenly the door opened again to let in a familiar platinum-blond haired teen. He closed the door behind him and performed a complicated locking charm on it before taking a seat next to Harry on the edge of one of the desks. Remus frowned, "I was unaware that the two of you were friends".

Harry smirked and brought a lone finger to his lips, "Ssh. It's a secret". Draco quirked his lips behind him but said nothing.

"What brings you two to my classroom today?"

The two exchanged glances then Harry gave the other a brief nod, "We warned to talk to you about something important".

"Something secret".

"You have to promise not to tell".

Remus raised his eyebrows at the byplay between the two, similar to that of the Weasley Twins. "I can keep my lips sealed".

"We'll hold you to that", Draco said crossing his arms over his chest and leaning back in order to assess him.

"I know you were friends with my father Remus", Harry said quietly so that it was almost inaudible but Remus heard it all the same. He sighed sadly and out his head in his hands. "How did you find out?"

Harry reached into the back of his pocket and pulled out an old crumpled photo, it was washed out but the people were still laughing and smiling to each other. Harry held it out towards the man and pointed out the figures. There was a red haired girl wearing a long flowing white dress and holding a forkful of cake, the man next to her had shaggy black hair and wire framed glasses. He had a crooked grin on his face as he ate his own cake cheekily. There were a few other people in the image, one of which was a familiar man with threadbare clothes and honey coloured eyes. "My mum, my dad, Sirius Black, Peter Pettigrew and you. I think the woman on the left is Dorcas Meadows but I'm not entirely sure."

Remus shook his head sadly, "I wasn't sure whether to approach you or not about it. I didn't want to bring you any more pain."

Harry smiled sadly and he felt Draco's hand discreetly stroking his back behind him, "We wanted to know whether you'd teach us how to be Animagi".

Lupin looked up in shock, his eyes wide, "Why would I know how to do that? Shouldn't you ask Mcgonogall?"

Draco snorted, "Cut the crap professor. We know all about your _furry little problem_ and we couldn't care less. You were always the brains of Potters little group so if anybody knows how to do it it's you. Plus we were hoping you'd keep your little promise and _not_ report us to the ministry".

"How did you two become friends?" The professor asked, perfectly confused.

"That's a secret too."

Harry and Draco has discussed this a lot of times before deciding they wanted to be Animagi. To them Remus was the perfect choice. Although he wasn't one himself that was only because werewolves couldn't have another animal form beside their wolf ones. He'd been there to watch and experience his friends doing it and certainly knew the whole process back to front. Plus, this would be the perfect opportunity to rebuild the lost relationship Harry had with Remus and hopefully get him on side with his relationship with Draco. He knew Sirius already knew after witnessing the snogging scene earlier in the summer and he really wanted the two parental figures in his life to be okay with it. If not it would break his heart.

"I'll teach you...I just want to know why?"

Harry frowned, "There's something coming Remus. A storms brewing, we need every advantage we can get".

"Do you mean Voldemort?"

Harry looked up at the sound of the Dark Lords name and gave a short nod. Remus shook his head sadly in reluctant acceptance, "I'll help you. I'll send you a note when I'm free to start".

Harry smiled and the two left the classroom. "Step 1 complete huh?" "And a million more to go".

* * *

Harry leant back against his elbows and stared across the lake from his vantage point. The wind was whipping at his hair and he'd opted to wear his contact lenses today so there was nothing to stop it being blown into his eyes. He pulled a stone from his right hand side and threw it, watching passively as it skimmed across the lake. He hand't had this much time on his own in a while without having the loud Gryffindors invading his space, time with Draco was few and far between and they spent most of the time contacting each other through the Diary's. What time they did have was usually spent having wild sex in the room of requirement at the end of the day and whilst it was amazing it wasn't the same as the nights they used to spent curled up together on the sofa in their apartment.

He saw the shadow approaching before he heard the footsteps and the body hit the ground beside him with a small thud. "Hello Harry", said Ginny happily. She'd improved quite a lot over the last few months and had become a lot more confident in the time they'd spent together trying to work through the issues of the chamber.

"Hey Gin, how's it going?"

She smiled sweetly, "It's great. I got an E in my potions which I think is the best Snape has ever given a Weasley. I'm setting new records every day I am."

He laughed kindly and laid down to stare up at the clouds, Ginny joined him only a second later. She let out a small sigh, "Harry...I just wanted to ask...I know I'm not allowed to go to Hogsmeade or anything but maybe we could hang out sometime...like as more than friends..."

Harry let out a deep sigh and sat up abruptly, "Look. Gin, I'm gonna be straight with you. Well actually, I'm going to be the opposite. I'm Gay Gin, very Gay".

She stared at him blankly for a second before a small smile appeared on her face, "Well at least you don't find me disgusting. I thought that was what you were working up to".

His face turned into a big grin and he lied back down on the grass, "Thanks. You're kind of the first person I've told". _'In this timeline'_ he added silently in his head. She nodded silently in understanding and laid down beside him again. A sudden thought occurred to him, "You know. In the muggle world they have this weird thing, they call it Gay Best Friend Syndrome. All the girls want a Gay best friend to talk about fashion and boys and stuff. I may dress like shit but I certainly know a lot about boys".

Ginny started giggling, "Of course you can be my Gay Best Friend Harry." He grinned back and they both burst into loud laughter that could be heard all the way around the lake for at least 10 minutes afterwards.

"Just don't tell Ron alright? I'm not quite ready for that yet..." _'Especially when he finds out just who I'm dating...'_

* * *

Something always went wrong on Halloween, that's something Harry had learnt a long long time ago. It started on his first with the death of his parents and had continued throughout his life. Sometimes he wished he could just wrap himself up in bubble wrap and stay inside all day. Of course Draco wouldn't let him.

This time the Gryffindors returned that night to find the Fat Lady's painting slashed. Just as it had been the first time.

The castle went into panic quickly after that, screamings of Sirius Black were circulated through the students and the paintings and Harry was on edge. This was the first time he'd been anywhere near Sirius since the summer and now he had the perfect opportunity to get to him. Harry sprinted up to Gryffindor tower and hastily stumbled through an unlocking charm to get through. Once he was in his dorm he went straight to the tank on his bedside table.

 _$Persephone$_ he hissed quietly. The snake lifted its head wearily and looked at him, _$Harry...$_

 _$I need you to do something for me ok? I'm going to let you out of your tank and I want you to start circling round the grounds. There are two things I want to keep you to keep an eye out for. A large shaggy black dog and a rat, they'll both look like animals but they'll smell exactly like humans. When you spot them, report back to me. Ok?$_

The snake nodded wearily, _$Yes Harry. I'll be back as soon as possible$_ He let the snake out and it slithered on out of the tower. As soon as it was gone he was running up to the ROR where he knew Draco would be waiting for him.

"I set Persephone on him, she'll keep an eye out".

Draco collapsed on the sofa exhausted, "I don't know what to do. Wormtail has to get away".

"But Sirius needs to be free."

"Then we need a compromise."

Harry shook his head silently and curled up beside Draco, "What if we went to Bones?"

Draco scowled, "She loves upholding the law Harry she'd turn him in without a second thought".

"No", Harry said turning to him, "She loves justice. If we can prove to her that Sirius didn't get a fair trial we can at least get him an interview under Veritaserum once we can get to him. Then we can get him a pardon _without_ needing Pettigrew to be there".

"Sounds like a plan, now all we need is Sirius."

"That's a task in itself".

"We have to take action now Harry, up until this moment we've been on holiday. Just biding our time for something to pop up and catch us unnoticed. Next year, Death Eaters will attack the Quidditch World Cup. Fucking Death Eaters, this isn't a game anymore", Draco spoke sadly.

And they both knew that. When they'd came back in time they'd both sacrificed their lives of relative peace to step into a war zone. The future here was unsure and full of challenges, new and old. They may only look like children, but they were adults who'd seen and lived through more than anyone should. They were putting their live on the line for this, for the future of Magical Britain. They'd have to get the job done right.

"It won't be long now Draco. I get the feeling things will be changing very quickly, very soon".

* * *

"Harry Potter."

"Just our favourite person".

"We've been looking for you".

He looked up into the familiar chocolate brown eyes of the twins and tried desperately hard to keep the images of blood and carnage out of his head. Instead he pulled his Gryffindor scarf around his neck tighter, "Gred, Forge, how are my favourite pranksters?"

They gave him identical mischevious smirks, "Just been hanging around". "But we wanted to give you your Christmas present." "Its our treat".

He raised his eyebrows in mock confusion but he already knew what was coming and his hands were itching to get hold of the map that he'd missed for so many years. Fred pulled it out from behind his back and presented it with a flourish. "The marauders map", Harry whispered in awe.

The twins shared a look of confusion. "You know it?"

Harry smirked, "Know it? My father helped create it. He was prongs". He made a little antler symbol with his fingers on his head and smirked at the gobsmacked looks he was receiving. "Do you know who the others are?" George whispered eyes wide.

"Prongs was my dad. Wormtail was Peter Pettigrew. Padfoot was Sirius Black and Moony is our resident Defence teacher". They stared at him in a mix of horror and amazement at the list of names.

"Thank you so much Harry".

"No. Thank _you_ kind sirs." He tilted an imaginary hat and watched amusedly as they sprinted off down the corridors. Later on he'd laugh after finding out that Fred and George had got on their knees and started bowing to Remus in the middle of a defence lesson and proclaiming their utter worship.

He opened up the map and tapped his wand once, "I solemnly swear that I am up to no good".

An explosion of ink occurred across the page, morphing into spindly lines and solid walls, curling into footprints and names that walked back and forth throughout the hallways all across the building. He smiled down at the familiar map and hugged it to his chest before pulling back and beginning to read. He paused when he came to the name he was looking for, "Susan Bones", standing down in the kitchens on her own and surrounded by a swarm of house elves. He began walking in that direction, ready to make his first step to reach out and save Sirius.

"Hello Susan". The girl jumped away from the kitchen counter where she was deep in the middle of eating a chocolate eclair. She blushed bright red when she realised she still had chocolate and cream smeared on her face. "I thought only the 'puffs knew about the kitchens", she mumbled.

He discreetly slipped the map back into his pocket and smiled warmly, "Yes well I was just looking around the other week and happened to stumble across it. How are you?"

She shrugged non-commitaly, "Failing potions. Struggling with a sugar addiction. And you?"

He raised an eyebrow, "Battling new Dark Wizards around every corner. I seem to be some kind of magnet". She laughed, "Maybe you just wear too much bright clothing. That always tends to attract bugs". He sat down beside her and took an eclair of his own from one of the house elves.

"What brings you here Harry? I doubt you just wanted to enjoy the French patisserie". He took another bite and savoured the sweet chocolatey taste that coated his tongue, "I admit I do have some ulterior motives".

She frowned, "You're not going to try and take my top off are you".

Harry started choking loudly on his food, his face going red as it travelled down the wrong passage. "I'm sorry", she wailed trying to pat him on the back, "I shouldn't have been so crass". He shook his head, "Im sorry the male gender is so inappropriate who did that?"

"Zack Smith", she mumbled. Harry rolled his eyes, "I always thought he was a right prick anyway. Next time sock him in the face, or better yet send him in my direction and I'll kick him in the ballsack".

She giggled before her face took on a serious expression, "What are you here for?"

"I wanted to see if you could talk to your aunt. Perhaps get a meeting arranged with her so that we can talk".

"About?" she asked, her eyes lighting up in curiosity.

"Sirius Black".

The room seemed to get instantly colder, "Why would you want to have anything to do with that traitor?"

He looked at her in shock before he remembered who she was. Her parents had been murdered by Voldemort in the war and Sirius Black 'the death eater' was obviously a sore subject.

"I have very good reason to believe he isn't one. But he's not just going to hand himself into the ministry if he thinks he'll get kissed. I want a fair trial."

* * *

 **More Notes:** Sorry only a shorter chapter right now but I promise the next will be longer. Sirius returns, it's Christmas time and we meet Amelia Bones!

Stay tuned!


	8. Chapter 7

**Author's notes** : Exactly as I promised last time. It's Christmas! Finally!

Ive been ill today and my brain isnt working properly so please excuse any grammar or spelling mistakes I'll try and be better for tomorrow.

There's a bit of lemon in here, hope you don't mind.

* * *

Hello - Normal Text

"Hello" - Speech

 **Hello** \- Dream or Flashback

 _'hello'_ \- Thoughts

 _$hello$_ \- Parseltongue

* * *

Chapter 7

"This is defiantly the worst idea you've ever had".

Harry didn't really want to admit it, but Draco was so right. He'd only just placed the mandrake leaf in his mouth and he'd already begun to feel the foul taste seeping through yet no matter how hard he tried to escape from the foulness it was firmly glued into his mouth with a sticking charm.

"Do we really have to do this for a whole month?" he asked Remus. His nose wrinkled, he looked over at Draco who was gulping deep breaths of air and and retching whilst clutching his stomach.

The tall greying man sighed, "Your father complained loads the first time he tried it. He had to do it twice because he only made it half way through the month before he took it out. Then he had to start all over again. Black just kept complaining about how he couldn't snog anyone whilst tasting like a pile of trash".

Harry raised his eyebrow at the very accurate representation of his playboy godfather. Then a sudden thought occurred to him and he turned to Draco with a look of abject horror, "Draco. You know what this means don't you!"

He looked confused before it slowly dawned on him, "No snogging for a month!" Remus choked very loudly on his tea and looked quickly between the two of them before collapsing on his desk. "Well now I know why you became friends."

"Oh yes. The sex was the reason". If possible, Remus became even redder and Harry shouted, "Draco!", in indignation.

"You're bloody 13! Merlin, James and Lily are gonna kill me. I'll never make it to heaven. Have you even been given the talk?"

Draco snorted, "I know the spells. Besides it's not like I've had sex with loads of people so I'm not exactly passing around STD's like coupons. And we can't exactly make babies, wrong anatomy and no potions to help that train enter the station".

Remus started pinching his nose and rubbing his temples, "That's against the school rules you know. I may have to report you to McGonogall".

Harry crossed his arms, "Oh really? And she'd just believe that Harry Potter and Draco Malfoy were in some kind of sordid affair. I think she'd ask you if you were drunk before she started trying to give us detentions. Besides, it's not like they're going to catch us anyway".

"Maybe I should just give you both chastity spells", Remus murmured. "NO!" they both shouted, then turned bright red.

Draco cleared his throat, "What we mean is we don't need you to do that. We keep it PG-13 around others and we're perfectly safe so you really shouldn't worry".

"But I am worrying", Remus scowled, "I'm worrying a lot. 13 year olds shouldn't be having sex".

Harry scoffed, "Oh come on Lupin! In the muggle world 12 year olds get pregnant all the time. At least we're smart."

Remus sighed in frustration, "Fine whatever. But if I hear from Madam Pomfrey that either of you have been injured in something...sex related. Those chastity charms will be coming at you from every corner in every hallway until I can make sure you can't even come in 100 metres of one another. Hear me?"

"Yes sir", Harry gave a small salute.

"What is the world coming to these days", the man mumbled underneath his breath before he turned back to the Animagus book open on his desk.

"Those need to stay in for a month and at the end you'll begin to get the visions about your form. Then we can start on the actual transfiguration process. Until then try not to be sick".

" But it tastes so fou!" Draco whined vehemently.

"You know what they say Draco, tough shit".

* * *

"Blaise Zabini".

Harry looked up from where he was eating his dinner with a confused look on his frowned down into her mash, "Whats she talking about Harry?"

Ginny grinned widely and took a seat beside hin, "You said you'd help who I want".

"Zabini? He's a bit of a prick..." Harry frowned. In the future Blaise was truly a great guy who'd supported Draco a lot. He certainly liked to play the field though. He smirked slightly at the idea of both his and Draco's exes ending up together,even for a short while.

He shook his head reluctantly, "Fine. I'll help you. I wont make any promises ok?"

She blushed brightly and started bouncing up and down on her chair.

"Why would you ask Harry for help with boys?"

Harry froze slightly and turned to Ginny with wide eyes. She stared gobsmacked then scoffed, "Merlin Hermione,everyone knows Harry's a womanizer. If anybody can get me a date its him."

Harry choked on his food just then, he could've died. Hermione looked as shocked as him. "I've never seen Harry with any girls", Hermione croaked.

Ginny merely waved her hand absently, "Oh please. Didn't you hear about him and Susan Bones in the kitchens other day?"

Hermione looked like she was going to be sick, "Harry?" His neck snapped up to glare at Ginny, "How did you know about that?"

He was wrong. Hermione was the one dying right about now. Her hair had reached the maximum level of frizziness and she was staring at him with wide unblinking eyes. She was completely pale with a few beads of sweat going down her forehead at regular intervals. "So you were".

Harry banged his head on the table, "We were talking about legal things! Her aunt is the head of the DMLE. I wanted her to look into something".

Hermione looked stricken in a whole new kind of way then, "Why didn't you ask me? I could've looked it up in the library for you!"

"s'not the same 'mione. She has more resources!" Hermione grumbled a bit about that but had to concede the point.

 _$harry$_ he turned to his left to see a familiar snake weaving its way down the aisle in the great hall. Children starting jumping up on their seats to get out the way and one of the teachers, he presumed McGonogall, had started shouting at students to get down. Harry merely held his arm out for the snake to slither up.

Ginny paled and Hermione merely shook her head in exasperation, she'd gotten over the snakes presence a while back.

 _$Persephone. What are you doing?$_ he hissed towards the snake. A first year hit the ground with a thud.

 _$Master. The Dog Man. I've found him.$_ Harry stood up so abruptly he almost knocked the food off of the table. Hermione stared at him in confusion but he just gave her a determined look that made her back off almost instantly.

 _$Take me to him$_ and so she did.

* * *

They were standing at the edge of the forbidden forest, just near where the Hogwarts wards boundaries were. Whatever spells there were keeping him safe inside the grounds, once he stepped through that ward there'd be nothing left to protect him. Not that it was that efficient before.

He turned to Persephone who gave him a short nod and gestured with her head towards the woods. He pinched himself once to make sure he was awake and concentrate, then he stepped through the boundary. The familiar magic of Hogwarts washed over him, then it disappeared and left him feeling overwhelmingly lost.

 _$Where next?$_

The snake turned towards a large oak tree and started to follow the snake further into the woods. The passed talk trees that eh was sure would reach the towers of the castle and bushes dotted with bright berries that Harry was sure would be poisonous to the touch.

Then they enetered a large, muddy clearing and in it lay and large, black shaggy dog. He pulled his holly wand out of his pocket and pointed it at the animal.

"Enervate".

As soon as the dog opened its eyes it became defensive, growling and backing up. Harry kept his wand steady and aimed it at Sirius, "You might as well turn back now Black. I know it's you".

The dog let out a pitiful whimper and bowed low to the ground. His bones begins to shift and gradually he changed back into the form of the man. He was weak and underfed, with straggly black hair that seemed matter to his skull. He was still wearing the dirty Azkaban uniform that he escaped in and when he looked up his silver eyes, so much like draco's, staring at him in sad acceptance. "Are you going to kill me Harry?"

Harry tilted his head sideways and surveyed the man in front of him, "I could never kill you Sirius."

The man looked up at him, his eyes filled with blinding hope and pain, "Your parents?"

Harry shook his head sadly, "That wasn't you Sirius. It was Pettigrew".

Sirius stared at him blankly, then his eyes widened slowly, "You knew all along who I was! Near your house, when you took me to the leaky cauldron...you knew didn't you. How?"

Harry smiled sadly, "I thought Remus was supposed to be the smart one. I'll explain everything to you soon Sirius, right now I don't have much time and I need to speak to you".

"Why?" The man croaked.

"I have a plan Sirius, but you need to listen carefully".

* * *

"What we're doing is wrong, Draco."

Draco reached out and clasped his hand in his own, they were waiting just outside of the Three Broomsticks over the Christmas holidays. It wasn't a Hogsmeade weekend so the streets were quite and empty. They'd managed to sneak out earlier that morning using the invisibility cloak and a few well organised excuses to their friends.

"We're doing what we have to Harry. This may seem wrong now, but sooner or later you'll come to realise you've done the right thing", he placed a kiss on his cheek and gave him a supporting smile before pulling the invisibility cloak over himself and disappearing into the white picturesque background of hogsmeade.

Harry ran his hands through his messy black hair and steeped himself before entering the pub. He spotted the person immediately sitting at the back of the pub, looking stately and pristine as ever.

He shook her hand and took his seat opposite her, she smiled blankly and pulled a file out of her bag, "I must admit Mr Potter, this isn't exactly my ideal venue for a meeting such as this".

He smiled, "Mine either but I just had to make do. This was the closest place I could slip out to unnoticed, there would be a lot of commotion if Harry Potter walked into the ministry of magic".

"You're quite right", she commented dryly. "I went back and looked through all of the case files, and just as you pointed out there isn't one for any trial against Sirius Black."

He smiled, "So you believe me?"

She pursed her lips, "I admit at the moment I am leaning towards your conclusion but without witnesses any solid evidence I can't make a case".

He stared down at the table quietly, "And if I could bring you Sirius Black and have him tested under veritaserum".

Her jaw dropped open and she adjusted her glasses, "Mr Potter you surely aren't suggesting that you've been harbouring a fugitive".

He shook his head vehemently in denial, "Of course not. But I do have a way to find him that means I could bring him to you with his soul still intact. Unlike the dementors".

She frowned at his insult but conceded, "If you can bring him to me I will make sure I have his testimony before he gets anywhere near Fudge or the Dementors. But I must warn you, if you're wrong, Sirius Black is a very dangerous man and he will stop at nothing to get you killed".

Harry snorted, "Yes well apparently there's a lot of people that want to kill me so he'll just have to join the waiting list. Maybe they should just form a mob..."

"You have a very odd way of thinking."

He smiled charmingly, "Well I often find that the best things come in small packages!"

He and Amelia devised a way for him to contact her once he'd found Sirius using a piece of paper that worked in a similar way to the galleons from Dumbeldores Army. He'd write down a time and a place and her paper would glow as a signal and the letters would appear. They agreed that they had to do it discreetly to keep him out of the way of any potential meddlers like Fudge.

Harry met Draco outside of the pub again and slipped underneath the invisibility cloak beside him down one of the alleys by Honeydukes.

"Is it sorted?"

Harry nodded in affirmation. "Good. Now all we need is to get our proof."

"Everything will fall into place".

"I can only hope it will".

They started walking their way back to the castle slowly, basking in each other's presence. When they got there Harry looked at the time. "Shit we're gonna miss lunch". He's told his friends to meet him in the library after lunch and he knew if he was late they'd be suspicious.

He hitched his back up and they took off at a sprint towards the doors to the great hall. As soon as Harry got there he leant up against the doors and tried to slow his breath down. Then he reached into his bag to find the map and locate Ron and Hermione. Yet, as he was searching through his bag, he didn't come across the peice of tarnished paper. _$Bollocks$_ he hissed under his breath. Harry had lost the marauders map.

* * *

"Wake up Harry! Wake up!"

Harry flinched from the hand shaking his shoulder, his wand was in his hand and he had pressed the body against the wall quickly. The wand was placed underneath the persons chin and pressed hard into their Adam's apple. He stared his attacker up and down before giving a sigh of relief, "Sorry Ron". He pulled his wand away and put it in his back pocket, cringing when he remembered Mad Eye Moody's angry words about him blowing his ass off.

Ron was wide eyed and had his hands thrown up in a display of innocence, "Chill Harry." His face split into a wide smile, "It's Christmas!"

Harry raised his eyebrows at the boys enthusiasm but reluctantly got out of bed and trudged into the common room wearing only his Quidditch pyjamas. Hermione was waiting down by the tree with a massive smile on her face and clutching a big book shaped present from her parents. "Harry!" She squealed, "Merry Christmas!"

"You too 'Mione", he grumbled still a bit tired from being woken up so early. He collapsed on the sofa in a heap and banged his head against the leather. It did little to wake him up. He groaned again and Hermione made a tutting noise, "Cheer up Harry it's Christmas. It's the most wonderful time of the year!"

"Don't you dare start quoting Christmas songs to me 'Mione. I'm not in the mood".

"Mate just unwrap some presents will you?"

He shrugged. It couldn't really hurt. He got down on his knees and shuffled towards the pile of his stacked up under the Christmas tree and began to unwrap them. He got the regular gifts from the weasleys, a home knit jumper with a Gryffindor lion and a box of sweet treats cooked by Molly. Then he came across a very large and familiar looking package, he lunged for it before he faltered and glanced discretely at Hermione. He started to unwrap the packaging, revealing the long glistening handle of the firebolt. He continued to unwrap it until it was there in front of him in its fully glory. He smiled down at it beatifically and glanced at Ron who was staring in awe, "That's a bloody firebolt".

"Who sent it?" asked Hermione, her brow furrowed in confusion.

"There's no card..." Hermione's eyes widened, "We need to take it to McGonogall. What if Sirius Black sent it! Quirrel tried to sabotage your broom in first year he could be trying to do it too!"

Ron snorted, "Why would anyone spend hundreds of galleons on a fancy broom to try and kill Harry? Surely they'd just slip him some poising".

Hermione cuffed him on the back of the head and held her hands out towards Harry in order to reach the broom, "Give it here Harry. I'll get it checked out."

Harry stared down at the broom and sighed before handing it to her. Ron had his mouth wide open in shock and he was glaring monstrously at Hermione as she took it and sauntered off out of the common room with crookshanks swaying behind her. "Women am I right!" Harry just smirked and said nothing.

He reaches down into the rest of the presents and pulled out a medium sized box. It was made out of some kind of green velvet and had the insignia of a jewellers in hogsmead on it. He turned it upside down and surveyed the box before shrugging and clicking the box open. What he found inside shocked him. It was a plain gold chain just the right size for him and looped in the center was a ring. An exact replica of his wedding band.

Ge reached inside and pulled out the small piece of card on the inside, the small loopy writing was instantly recognisable.

 _A promise to you Leo,_

 _No matter where or when we are you will always be mine. Just as I am yours._

 _Love Dragon._

He smiled fondly and clasped the chain around his neck, reminding himself never to take it off again.

* * *

As soon as Draco stepped out of the common room he found himself slammed against the stone wall. He began to reach for his wand when he recognised the familiar scent of aftershave and simply leant his head back against the wall and enjoyed the feeling of Harry's mouth sucking and kissing his neck.

"I love you so much". Draco moaned happily against him and pushed his pelvis upwards to get some friction. Harry pulled back and smiled down at him lustfully.

"I want to ride you Draco".

"You don't have to ask twice", he grabbed Harry's hand and was already dragging him back inside the Slytherin common room. Slamming the door shut behind him and glad for the fact that he had the dorm all to himself over the holidays.

 ****Warning Lemon!****

Harry found himself being pressed down onto the bed very quickly and soft lips were attacking his neck and jaw. Kissing, biting and sucking on all of the tender flesh in a way that he was sure would leave marks for weeks. A hand crept down towards his trousers and slipped into his boxers to grasp around the hard length straining against his clothing. Harry ground up against the hand and gasped and moaned loudly.

The hand encompassed him, moving up and down and surrounding him in gorgeous heat. Just as he felt he was going to burst the hand stopped and fingers began to inch round and trail their way down towards his hole. He wriggled and shook his head, "No don't. It'll take too long. I want you now".

Draco looked up at Harry's wide emerald eyes and saw the lust in them that drove him wild, "Whatever you want". Suddenly he was being flipped over and a heavy weight was straddling his thighs and grinding into him. Harry reached up towards his hair and tangled his fingers in the soft blond strands, the man winked mishcevoously and Draco looked up on confusion before he understood why.

They were both suddenly very naked.

He groaned at the feeling of skin on and skin and the fingers that had come up to tweak his nipples in the way he so loved. "Sit back and relax love". Harry whispered in his ear. Harry snapped his fingers and there was a small blue glow. He grimaced at the feeling of lube as his ass stretched itself magically just enough to accommodate the man underneath him.

He lifted himself up and grasped the mans thick length, lining it up to his hole before sinking down onto it. They both let out simultaneous gasps. Harry couldn't feel any pain, the spell having done its job. He was enjoying the feeling of being filled so completely by his lover as their synchronised moans floated around the room.

Then he lifted himself up again and slammed back down hard, hitting his sweet spot that made him see white flashing stars. He started setting a pace. Bouncing up and down and grinding over and over again. Draco layed back and savoured the sight of Harry so entranced with the look of bliss covereing his face as he bounced up and down on top of him. His cock was twitching and neglected and Draco reached out his hand to run his finger slowly over the tip.

This combined with the fast rhythm and the fact that they hadn't had sex in at least two weeks made it all to much for the pair and the both reaching their climax with merely 10 seconds between them. Draco slipped out of Harry and they lay together exhausted and trying to catch their breaths.

"best Christmas ever", mumbled Harry and Draco strongly agreed.

* * *

 **Author's notes** : Next chapter will be the end of 3rd year. We'll be moving into summer and 4th after! I'll be taking a short break from posting after Chapter 8(probably only a few days) to write a few chapters so I can start posting at regular intervals. Currently I'm just writing chapters as I come up with ideas and posting them as soon as I finish, I'd like to start working on some kind of schedule for myself to keep up to date.

Until then, stay tuned!


	9. Chapter 8

**Author's Notes:** It's here. The year 3 finale! I'm aware that I've made third year quite short and taken out some of the plot points in the original book but I've been anxious to get onto year 4. The events in that one will probably follow the timeline a lot closer in terms of smaller events like weighing of the wands and such. Now on with the show!

* * *

Hello - Normal Text

"Hello" - Speech

 **Hello** \- Dream or Flashback

 _'hello'_ \- Thoughts

 _$hello$_ \- Parseltongue

* * *

Chapter 8

 _'It's too early',_ Harry thought as he sprinted through the undergrowth. Sharp thorns and bushes scratched at his arms and tore through his white shirt angrily. He could feel the blood trickling down his face and his heart beat speeding up far faster than what should be humanly possible.

He needed to get there in time before it was too late and everything fell to ruins.

He needed to stop Sirius before it was too late.

 _'How could it've gone so wrong so quickly?'_

* * *

"The goblin rebellions between the years of 200 and 250AD were some of the most strategic battles of the millennium. The goblin army, led by Kurg the Vicious at the time, were marched into the ruins of Senectus Castle on September the 12th".

Harry consider banging his head against the table multiple times as he had to listen to Binns recite the whole of the fourth year syllabus for the second time in his lifetime and this one seemed worse than the last. At least before the information was relatively new but this time he could practically follow his every sentence word for word from memory. It was times like these when he thought he was going to turn into Hermione.

Speak of the devil, "Harry! Pay attention! You don't want to fail your exams".

"I can't help it. He makes me want to throw myself in front of oncoming traffic".

"Don't make jokes like that!" She whacked him lightly on the arm and went back to taking intricate notes.

He let out a groan, "I tell you what. If you want me to do so well on my exams how about we do some revision later. Out by the lake, it's nice and sunny today".

She gave him and odd sideways look then shrugged, "I'll bring my books and you can drag Ron along". "It's a deal." He smiled and shook her hand before returning his head to the table for a long nap.

They had to physically drag Ron out to the lake to revise and even then they had to promise him to play chess afterwards. Hermione kept on mumbling about lazy students who's 'never ever get a proper job in life for love the money". Harry didn't say anything to that.

"What spell do you use to banish a Boggart?"

Ron perked up, "Ridikulus". Suddenly they both went quiet and exchanged an odd look. "Harry you never did tell us about that..." She prodded gently.

Harry just shrugged, "There's nothing to talk about. I worked it out and I'm fine with it now".

Ron scowled, "How the hell did Malfoy know what it was though?"

That was a question Harry didn't want to answer. "I don't know. Maybe he read it in a book somewhere. I don't know, he just recognised it and thankfully he did it in time who knows what I would've done otherwise".

"Did you just thank Malfoy?"

Harry smiled slightly, "Yes I did".

Suddenly Ron stood up and started squinting off into the distance, he lifted his hand to his eyes to act as a visor to the sun, "Hey do you guys see that?"

Hermione looked up from her book momentarily and frowned, "Am I supposed to be seeing something?"

Ron's face lit up, "It's scabbers".

Harry's neck snapped up with a massive forced and he stared into the distance. Then he saw it, a small furry brown thing scampering through the grass being chased by a big black dog.

A big black dog.

Harry scrambled to his feet as fast as possible. Hermione scoffed, "Honestly Ronald it could just be any rat".

But Ron was running quickly to get to the rat, he scooped it up from the ground and held it close to his chest, "It's ok scabbers". He turned to the growling dog and snarled, "Merlin it's worse than crookshanks".

Harry was already there, his wand out and pointed at the dog as it started to approach. "Ron stand back".

"Geez Harry it's just a dog lay off in a minute".

Oh how wrong he was.

One minute the dog was still, the next it was lunging. Fast and powerful, straight for Ron's legs. In a scene almost indentical to the one from when Harry was only 13 years old. Ron was dragged off into the Whomping Willow.

His wand went limp in his hand and he stared in shock. Hermione screamed isn't terror at the sight and Harry's heart stopped beating. This wasn't how it was supposed to go. This was nothing like he had planned.

"We have to go after him", Hermione whispered dumbstruck.

They looked at each other dead in the eye, then they were running. No sprinting. Bags and books left forgotten by the side of the lake.

A loud creeking sound ran through his ears and Harry almost missed the point where he had to duck away from the branches. Oh how lovely it would be if he survived so much only to be killed by an angry tree.

"Hermione watch out!" He pulled his wand out. "Accio Hermione!" She flew towards him and landed to his side, cuts and scrapes covering her face where she'd narrowly avoided the branch.

Harry searches around frantically in the glasses, desperately wishing he had chosen to wear his contacts that morning. He spotted the knot. It was too far away and he and Hermione were pinned flat against the ground with the branches swinging wildly only centimetres above them. He could try to crawl but even lifting his back off the floor a fraction could leave him paralysed.

He grasped his wand in his hand, "Lance!" A long sharp piece of metal shot out of his wand and jammed itself straight into the heart of the knot. The tree froze and seemed to wilt in front of their eyes. He scrambled to his feet and yanked Hermione up. "Come on we have to run!"

He ducked under the stationary branch and began to run through the muddy tunnels underneath the grounds, Hermione footsteps weren't far behind him and he kept a keen ear out for any up ahead. He burst through into the shrieking shack and up the stairs.

Ron was lying on the bed, his leg coated in blood and a look of pure terror on his face, "Run Harry! He's an animagus!"

Harry's wand was in his hand as he stepped into the room, he heard Hermione's gasp as he crossed he threshold. He looked Sirius up and down, wand still trained on the man. He looked just as ruined and insane as the first time around

"Hello Harry. Finally come to your senses?" He grinned maniacally.

He tilted his head and raised his eyebrows, "No. Just trying to suss our how insane you really are".

Hermione and Ron we're looking on in confusion.

"I'm as sane as I've always been".

Harry snorted, "So not very".

He watched Sirius' eyes flicker towards the corner where he knew Pettigrew was hiding. Harry grinned, just as insane as he man before him, "Uh uh uh. We wouldn't want to jump the gun now would we?"

"I'm not jumping the gun. I've come here to do what I've been planning for the last twelve years and nothing will prevent me from doing it".

"Expelliarmus".

Harry's wand flew out of his hand and towards Remus Lupin who grasped it out of the air and placed it in his pocket. Harry could see something else sticking out of it, a piece of weathered old parchment.

The scene was almost exactly as it was before.

By the time Harry was finished everything would change.

"How about we all try and keep the violence to a minimum?" Remus smiled but there was no emotion in it. It was completely cold and void and it was an expression Harry never thought he'd see on the normally gentle man. "You alright Harry".

"Swell Proffesor. Although, I seem to have got myself in an awkward situation".

Hermione gasped behind him and lifted her finger to point at Remus, "You! You've been working with him haven't you! That's how he got into the castle isn't it".

Remus shook his head in denial, "No. Before tonight I thought he was just as guilty as you do. Until I saw the map."

Harry smiled sadly, "You picked it up over Christmas didn't you. I knew I should've tried to find it but at that moment I had other things on my mind".

"You should be glad I picked it up and not Professor Snape".

Hermione was still confused and shaking on the other stand of the room, "I lied for you professor! I've know all this time and I didn't say anything because I though you could be trusted, yet it turns out you were consorting with a murderer".

"What do you mean you lied for him!"

"He's a bloody werewolf!"

The room went silent. Those that already knew in the room had nothing to say, Ron was in too much pain to kick up a fuss and Hermione was glaring with so much hatred in her eyes it was unfathomable.

Harry just stared ahead blankly.

Remus turned to Sirius, "Is he here then?" Sirius jerked his head in Ron's direction and Remus nodded slowly. "How'd he get away?"

"He transformed and went in the sewer".

"You switched?" Sirius nodded. His attention turned to Harry. "Remus give Harry his wand back."

Remus frowned, "Shouldn't we explain to him first".

"No we're going to finish the plan. The wand Remus".

He reluctantly chucked the wand to Harry who grasped it in his hand. Instead of attacking like Hermione, Ron and Remus expected he just held the wand limply in his hand and kept eye contact with Sirius.

"The plan?" Sirius grinned maniacally.

"Of course", Harry's lips twitched. Then he turned and his wand was level to Ron's chest. The temperature in the room dropped 100 degrees.

"Harry..." Hermione whispered. The betrayed voice would've killed him just yesterday, today he only felt numb. He'd have to be for what was ahead. Ron was wide eyed and he seemed to have taken on some level of acceptance.

"I'm sorry." Ron wispered. Harry wasn't entirely what for but the apology seemed to take a huge weight off his chest. "The rat Ron".

Ron looked up at him with gobsmacked features, "Scabbers".

"If you value your life you'll give him the rat", said Sirius. His eyes gleaming with the bloodlust he felt. The rat was passed along quickly. Apparently Ron really did value his life.

"You've been working for him?" Hermione whimpered.

"I only work for two people Hermione", he said turning to her, "One of them is me and the other is certainly not Sirius Black".

"You -Know-Who?" Hermione asked. Dreading the answer with the whole do her being.

Harry snorted, "Id rather kill myself than go within ten feet of the snakeface bastard. Remus the honors?" He said gesturing towards the quivering rat.

Remus pointed his wand at the rat and whispered, "Revelio". Then it wasn't a rat anymore.

It was a man. Fat and balding. He looked almost exactly like his animagus form depicted him to be and he was quivering on the floor. He looked up at Harry and gave a wail, "Harry. Sweet boy. Sweet child. You wouldn't let them kill me!"

It took all of Harry's strength not to snap out a killing curse right then. Perhaps it would solve all of his problems? But no, somebody else would resurrect Voldemort. Better the enemy you know than the enemy you don't. He was determined to be prepared this time, he needed to be 100 steps ahead of the game.

"I know spells that could quite literally boil your blood rat. You don't want to become my test subject do you?" The rat squeaked and flinched backwards. Harry's eyes met Remus' and the man stared at him confused. Harry just shook his head.

Sirius starting raising his wand, "It's time I commit the murder I was imprisoned for".

"Wait!" Said Harry abruptly. Everyone turned to look at him. Harry squirmed slightly under their intense gazes, "If you're going to kill him we have to do it in the forest. Dumbledore will have wards up, he'll know if an unforgivable is cast in the castle".

Sirius nodded at his logic and cast an incarcerous on the man and lifted him slowly into the air as he struggled. "We'll just have to take him there then. Come one. We're going on a field trip!"

* * *

They were trekking through the tunnel again. Remus was up front guiding Pettigrew. Ron and Hermione were in the middle whispering frantically and glancing back with scared looks every once in a while. Harry and Sirius were at the back walking at a sedate pace. Sirius smiles warmly at him and for the first time in months Harry saw a glimpse of the man he'd grown to love like a father.

"What you said back there..about you only everyday serving two people...you meant Malfoy didn't you?"

Harry looked down at his feet and nodded reluctantly, not daring to meet Sirius' eyes.

The man smirked, "What? Did you think I forgot about that little scene in the leaky cauldron".

"I was hoping you had".

Sirius smiled, "Your parents would be proud of you kid. Nobody's got the guts to date a Malfoy, crazy lot they are. Sometimes worse than the Blacks. I thought 'Cissa was downright insane when she got involved with dear old Lucy". He scowled at the mention of the death eaters name but shook it off.

Harry laughed fondly, "Draco can be a bit of a handful sometimes but he's worth it".

Sirius assessed him for a moment, "You really like him don't you? Hang onto what you've got Prongslet, good things don't come by so often." He shook his head as if in fond rememberande of some relationship past.

"Anyway, I just wanted to ask if maybe you wanted to live with me. When all of this is sorted and the rat is gone. I understand if you want to live with your relatives..."

"No! I'd love to!" He plastered a smile on his face and looked exciting but on the inside he was filled with dread. He didn't want to make a promise like this. After today, Sirius probably wouldn't even look at him again.

They came out from under the whomping willow, surprised to see it already dark. The stars were up in the sky and Harry looked upwards to see a cloud floating past. Then it shifted, revealing a full bright moon sparkling from the heavens.

"Well shit".

Remus was crouching low, his skin began to shift and the sound of bones cracking filled the air and the man released an inhumane scream.

"Ron, 'Mione get the fuck out of here".

They didn't have to be told twice. They were sprinting's up to the castle like lunatics.

The werewolf turned towards him with a hungry glint in his eyes and Harry was just preparing to take action when Padfoot lunged forward teeth bared. The next few minutes seemed to drag on forever. Claws and teeth snatched at each other scaring and ripping out flesh. Growls and roars of anger filled the air as the two animals threw themselves back and forth at each other. He could see Wormtail shuffling in his ropes on the floor trying to get free.

And Harry?

Harry didn't move a muscle.

The, from somewhere far ahead, somebody let out a massive howl and the wolf took off away from the dog. Harry looked on in shock, the time turner?

Suddenly a massive pain spread throughout his chest and he gasped, he clawed at his shirt, ripping it open to stare at his chest. There, where the ring sat around his neck, was a circular mark. It'd burned him!

Before he could think about fixing his injury Wormtail had got out've the ropes and was scampering away in his rat form, then without further thought Sirius was following. "Shit". Harry had to follow after him.

Sirius was going to try and kill Pettigrew and Harry, always in the center of things, had to stop him.

* * *

Draco Malfoy looked up from his Potions paper annoyed.

"You could stop watching me Zabini."

"If you told me about Potter".

Draco rolled his eyes, "Nothing is happening between me and Potter".

Blaise snorted discreetly, "Yeah right. You're always sneaking off, you never fights anymore and the guy practically confirmed it at he start go the year. I've been waiting for you for ages to actually confess but you've said jack shit. Fess up".

"Look Blaine", Draco suddenly stopped speaking. His hand came to clench around the matching necklace around his throat. The one he'd created in secret. The one linked through a safety charm to Harry's. He knew the man would hate him for it but he got involved too much in trouble. Would it be so bad for Draco just to want him to be safe for once? The burning was unbearable against his chest and he stood quickly.

"He's in danger. We have to go."

Blaise smirked, "I knew it!"

"Not know".

He was running quickly with no directions. Sprinting up and out of the dungeons and bursting through the doors to the great hall and into the night time. He looked into the distance just in time to witness the scene in front of the whomping willow.

"Werewolf", Blaise whispered in awe. Draco pulled a small blue pin out of his pocket and handed it to Blaise. "If I'm not back in half an hour take this to Snape he can use it to find me. Whatever you do, don't go to Dumbledore or any of the other teachers. Just Snape. Got it?"

Blaise was shaking his head in shock, "I swear to Merlin Draco. Don't you dare go Gryffindor on me now".

Draco shrugged, "Too late." He turned towards the tree and bought his wand to his throat, "Sonorus". The he let out a massive howl. He could see the wolf turn towards him and sniff the air.

"Lock the doors behind you Blaise". Draco took a deep breath and steeled himself, "Run. NOW!"

The wolf was loping now. Faster and faster in his direction and Draco was scared shitless.

"Don't fail me now".

The wolf stopped before him, it's jaw open and teeth bared in a menacing snarl. From his teeth dripped the clear saliva that carried the infection that could ruin Draco's life forever. He tensed and felt his body shift around him. Shrinking and stretching until it turned into the sleek catlike form of his Anigmagus.

He was a leopard. Harry was a black panther. Both of them fierce and vicious cats ready to kill. He opened his jaws and roared. Then he was running on four legs towards the forest, the wolf hot on his tails.

This body was weak, he'd only tranformed a few time and the process took a lot out of him already. Which was why as soon as he reached the dense clearing he turned around and prepared to transform back. Ready to fight with his magic alone.

The wolf approached viciously, salivating at the chance to eat him and to tear the flesh from his very bones.

"May god have mercy on my soul", Draco murmured, now turned back into a human.

He was standing, feet shoulder width apart and his wand now stowed away in his pocket. He was shaking his hands at his sides, trying to work out the kinks in them.

He closed his eyes in a rare moment of peace, allowing his senses to fill his mind and search out for the magic surrounding him. He could hear it, feel it. Water rushing through the ground underfoot and up the trees surrounding him. It was in the lake, in the animals, in the clouds in the sky. He could feel it everywhere. When he opened his eyes next, they were the pure azure blue of the sea.

He channeled the full power of his element and in one abrupt movement, he smashed his fists into the ground. The world seemed to still around him. Water crashed up from everywhere, twisting a turning like a tsunami. The pain and the power rushed through his veins, concentrated behind his hands and the balls of his eyes. His throat was dry and strained , muscles tensed as he tried to shift the very power of nature around him.

The water swirled and until it became a ball of water surrounding the wolf like a cage. He couldn't hold it much longer. The claws were already beginning to break through and the pain was excrutuating. There was only one thing left to do.

Draco let out a scream, it was loud and primal. Completely inhuman. The sound of a demon being brought forth from the depths of hell.

He pumped the last of his life source through the ground and the water surrounding the wolf started to solidify. Becoming an impenetrable ball of ice that even the razor sharp claws couldn't cut through.

He collapsed on the ground, the world spinning around him as his brain struggled to understand where he was and what he was doing. His eyes were fading back to silver and he began to drag himself across the ground into the undergrowth of the bushes in a sorry attempt to shield himself from the monsters of the forest around him.

* * *

 _It's too early',_ Harry thought as he sprinted through the undergrowth. Sharp thorns and bushes scratched at his arms and tore through his white shirt angrily. He could feel the blood trickling down his face and his heart beat speeding up far faster than what should be humanly possible.

He needed to get there in time before it was too late and everything fell to ruins.

He needed to stop Sirius before it was too late.

 _'How could it've gone so wrong so quickly?'_

His body began to shift quickly as he ran, turning into that of a sleek black panther that began to sprint through the forest after the two figures in the distance. He reached the small lake in record time and sniffed the air for Sirius' smell.

He could see him on the other side of the lake, Wormtail was bound again and struggling desperatlely against the ropes. Sirius was standing with his wand pointed at Pettigrew.

"Sirius..."

He turned to him and smiled, "We can finally do it Harry. Finally be free. Get revenge."

Harry walked slowly and cautiously towards them, "Maybe I should do it Siri. Don't you think I should get the chance. Maybe we could play around with him first."

A pained expression crossed Sirius' features before he stepped back and let Harry take the reins. "Be my guest".

The air started to turn cold, the sort of cold that chilled you to the very core. The lake was freezing around them, the ground was solid underneath his feet. He looked at Sirius, they both knew exactly what was coming.

"Do it now Harry. Before they do it for us".

In that moment, his betrayal seemed so easy. He'd prepared for it for months and here he was, being the exactly kind of person he hates.

Harry shook his head sadly, "I'm sorry Sirius". He slashed his wand once, the ropes fell away and the rat looked up at him with pure confusion in his eyes, "RUN!" He screamed.

Sirius looked pissed, "What are you doing! Harry!"

But he was falling to the ground, crashing and fitting. The dementors were already starting to affect him and Harry knew it wouldn't be long before they both lost their souls.

He remembered Draco's words from early in the summer and braved himself for the coming storm.

He lifted his wand straight the the sky and hissed, _$Expecto Patronum$_

The dragon burst forth from his wand with such power and intensity that it almost knocked him off his feet. Instead of the silvery white that usually formed his patronising it formed the colour of burning fire. Roaring in fury around him, like the fiendfyre in the room of requirement. It was just like Draco had said, Parseltongue was a language of magic. A language connected to his core. And today his core was burning a bright fierce red.

The Dementors didn't jump back, they were burnt to smoke and ashes. Screeching in fury as the souls they consumed burst forth into the air and screamed in a horrifying harmony. Then it disappeared from this universe and into the realm of the unknown.

Harry knelt on the floor and turned towards Sirius, who had such pain in his eyes it was blinding.

"Why?" He whispered.

"It was the only way. I'm so sorry".

The stupefy hit him quickly and Sirius collapsed to the floor in a heap. Harry pulled the piece of parchment out of his pocket and started to pen a note to Amelia Bones.

* * *

The next time Sirius Black woke up, he was strapped to a bed in a completely white room. He tried to sit up, frantic to get away from the straps that bound him.

"They won't go away until you're calm. You should work on bringing your heart rate down if you want to be able to get up".

"Where am I?" Sirius snarled at him angry.

"St Mungos", Harry mumbles slowly. "You'll be here for a while. Until they've decided you've fully recovered, mentally and physically, from your stint in Azkaban. Amelia Bones had you cleared this morning, I gave her permission to take some memories from your brain and you'll be allowed to give a statement under vertiaserum in a few days".

"You let him get away", Sirius whispered. Deathly calm.

"It was the only way Sirius, you'll come to see that very soon. Just sit back and get better, it'll all be ok soon".

"You can't keep me here", he shook his head stubbornly.

"I can't be here".

Harry begun to stand up.

"YOU CAN'T LEAVE ME HERE YOU BASTARD!"

Harry kept on walking, even as Sirius shouted for him to come back. He didn't turn around, not even when the tears began to sting at his eyes.

He entered the corridor to see Draco leant up against the wall, a calm expression in his face. "How was it?"

"He hates me", Harry said. His voice a whisper as he mourned the lost trust between him and his godfather.

Draco shook his head sadly, "He was dangerous Harry. To himself and others. Somebody would've ended up getting hurt. He spent too long in Azkaban, you saw how it hurt him the first time. Let them heal him Harry". He clasped his hands around his lovers and their foreheads rested against each other.

"I just wish things could be different".

Draco scowled, "This was the only way".

* * *

 **Author's notes:** finished this earlier and thought I might as well post it today. Just as a little bonus. Keep reading!


	10. Chapter 9

**Author's Notes:** Welcome to year 4! Exciting things up ahead! Be warned I have had some trouble saving this chapter and it took a long copying and pasting process to get the full chapter in. If you come across a sentence that doesn't make sense please leave a comment as I can't always pick up on these things. Thanks!

* * *

Hello - Normal Text

"Hello" - Speech

 **Hello** \- Dream or Flashback

 _'hello'_ \- Thoughts

 _$hello$_ \- Parseltongue

* * *

Chapter 10

A gust of wind swept soundly down the streets of Little Hangleton as the lights began to flicker on and off and on before the street was plunged into darkness. From the shadows emerged two figures cloaked in black, their faces shrouded from view. As they walked quickly down the street on drew a stick from their pocket and placed it on their hand, mumbling quietly, "It says left".

Emerald green eyes glinted in the darkness as they surveyed the scene before them. "I definitely recognise that building", he said whilst pointing towards a semi-detached house just in the distance. "Just keep walking. Don't stop no matter what you hear".

The blond shivered beside him. "Don't worry. I'll run very quickly if it comes to it". He lifted his hand if in the air and ran it through in a combing motion, "I can feel it. The dark magic in the air. He's here".

Harry nodded in agreement, "He should be here around this time. I don't know whether Bertha Jorkins is alive but the chances are they've already drained her of all of her information and are preparing to dispose of her."

"What do we do?" Draco asked inquisitively.

"Unfortunately nothing. We're not quite prepared to walk straight into Voldemort's Headquarters just yet".

Draco snorted sightly and smirked, "Imagine how easy it would be to walk in there now and throw a killing curse at his head."

Harry pinched the bridge of his nose, "Yes and then we'd have two very angry Death Eaters on us and a pissed of Dark Lord to deal with once he's actually been resurrected. I know Wormtail may be a bit useless but Crouch certainly knows what he's doing and we'd be in a shitload of trouble. Today we only have two jobs".

They carried on walking through the streets, keeping a close eye on the rows of houses until they reached the cemetery. Harry recognised it instantly from his memories of his fourth year. He shuddered at the memory of Cedric's death and the resulting events. He led Draco over to where Tom Riddle Sr's grave was, standing tall and proud unaware of what it would be witness to less than a year from now. Harry pointed towards a large patch of grass, "The cauldron was right there. I was tied to the statue when he took my blood."

Draco nodded in understanding and began to circle the area, "Can you give me a general location of where the cup dropped you".

Harry walked towards a point about 10 metres away from the statue and stamped his foot, "Somewhere around here."

"You better be right, the spell only works in a 5 metre radius." Harry looked around again and he spotted another headstone and pointed towards it, "I definitely remember seeing that one when I first crashed into the ground. This should work."

Draco lifted his wand "Detatera". A long stream of blue light extended from his wand and begin to swirl in a circle around Harry until it had surrounded him, then it joined the man himself and disappeared. "That should do it". Draco pulled a small silver pocket watch from inside his cloak and tapped it once, it was surrounded by the same blue fire before it turned to normal. He put the watch and his wand back in his pocket once more.

"Task 1 done. You ready?"

Draco smiled, "Ready as I'll ever be".

Without further warning Harry grasped Draco's hand, then they were spinning as if they were being turned inside out by the navel. Draco landed roughly on the pavement and stumbled whilst his legs tried to recalibrate, "Why couldn't we have just walked?"

Harry smiled, "Because unlike the graveyard I could remember this place completely clearly so I decided to be quicker."

"Well you could've asked me too", Draco mumbled as he dusted his robes off. "Wands out again and keep a look out for any movement".

Harry started walking slowly to the dilapidated shack in front of them, his wand level in front of him and his eyes trained on the door. Suddenly he stopped, "You hear that?" Draco stood completely still and listened out, there was a tiny hum coming from the area around them but he just couldn't pinpoint the area. Harry raised his wand and drew a single line in the air in front of them. Suddenly the area where his wand just was burst into a bright red light and began to open up like tear. A large silvery globe appeared around the house and it started to retreat as the wild red spell began to tear its way through it until there was nothing left but a single bubble of silver in front of him. Harry reached out a plucked it from the air, studying it slowly, "It's like a ward stone...". He passed it to Draco who studied it more intensely, being more proficient in ward spells due to his work in the department of mysteries.

"I've only ever seen something like this in texts from the early 600's, before they started restricting dark magic. It's highly likely that the Dark Lord got the spell from Slytherin himself, it certainly shows similar magical patterns to things he's made before. I studied Slytherin's sceptre for a short period of time and there are quite a few similar rune strings in the core".

"So you're saying Voldemort is out there with a book full of Slytherin's spells?" Harry asked seriously.

"Pretty much".

"Well fuck me sideways", Harry groaned loudly. "That can be arranged", Draco grinned lecherously back.

He received an angry glare, "Not now".

Draco placed the bubble in his pocket and they continued their advance on the shack. When they reached the door he grimaced at the sight of the rotting snake corpse nailed to it as well as the ones littered all over the front porch. He kicked one to the side and recoiled as the thing practically disintegrated on his boots. "I liked those shoes", he mumbled under his breath. Harry opened the door slowly and they filed into the 'living room' which was really only a room with a few wooden chairs and clutter littered everywhere. Draco pulled out a little metal device and began scanning the area for places with high dark magic concentration. He reached a floorboard which had been nailed into the floor repeatedly, he raised an eyebrow. "Somebody didn't want that getting loose."

Harry came over and surveyed the floorboard and the scanner slowly before he stepped back and raised his wand to point at it. "Be prepared to attack".

"Expulso".

The floorboard exploded with the a loud bang as splinters were sent flying everywhere. They both pulled up protego's but it soon became evident that it wasn't enough to hold back the oncoming storm. Hundreds upon thousands of snakes began swarming around them, Harry tried to multitask using one hand to hold up a shield made of fire that burnt anything that tried to cross it. With the other he was sending off cutting hexes towards the oncoming mass in an attempt to decapitate them. Draco was in the middle of a smilier effort, focusing all of his energy on killing the snakes.

"There has to be a source!"

Draco re-aimed his wand towards the hole again. "Expulso". Suddenly a dark green light exploded from the centre of the hole and all of the snakes began to disintegrate into dust. He let out a breath and braced his hands on his knees, panting. "Wingardium Leviosa", a ring began to float out of the centre of the hole and stayed stationary in the air in front of them. Instinctively Draco reached his hand out, Harry grabbed his wrist and held it in a bruising grasp.

"Remember Dumbeldore's hand in sixth year?" Draco stared at the ring in shock and understanding, all thoughts of taking it leaving his mind.

"I think the spells in Parseltongue. I won't be able to figure it out until we can get it somewhere where we can break down the spell."

Draco looked at him oddly, "Can't we just destroy it now and get it over with".

Harry flicked his wand and a wooden orb began to form around the ring and encased it fully. "Tell me Draco. Is it possible to turn one of the deathly hallows into a horcrux?"

The man scoffed loudly and took on a superior expression, "Of course not. Certainly if the tales are true it'd be impossible. Imagine the power of death itself concentrated into one ingot, if you tried to stick a soul or any other kind of magic inside it's just be rejected. Magic can only be so concentrated before it starts to tear apart the very fabric of existence".

Harry stared at him blankly for a few seconds before it suddenly clicked in Draco's brain, "The soul is in the ring itself. You want us to extract the stone".

Harry slipped the wooden case into his pocket and raised an eyebrow, "Do you have a problem with that?"

"I trust you Harry, but you better know what you're doing".

"I always have a plan Draco. Always"

* * *

"I take it he doesn't want to see me".

Harry Potter and Remus Lupin were sitting outside of a muggle cafe in the middle of a busy shopping centre, sipping their coffee and watching the people mill by with large bags in hand.

Remus just stared at his cup sadly as if trying to form a suitable answer, "He wants to see his Godson. He doesn't want to see the person who put him in a mental ward. Right now he's finding it hard to combine those two things and understand that they are one and the same".

Harry leant back to stare at the man before him. He looked as weary as always after the full moon, bags under his eyes and the telltale scars and scratches up and down his arms. But Harry could tell that he was oddly happy, taking to his struggles with a new found vigour. He supposed that was what happened after spending so many years on your own in virtual solitude and then finally somebody there to lift your spirits, it made Harry smile ever so slightly. Glad that he'd done at least something to help somebody else.

"Do you understand why I did it?"

Remus clasped his mug tightly and pulled it closer to him, "To be honest Harry I understand very little about you. Your personality changes so often, when you're with the Gryffindors you're exactly how everyone would expect you to be. Loud, crass and running into all kinds of danger. With Draco, you're a different person entirely. More open, yet more sly and intelligent. Then there was that time in the shack, when you looked so dark and detached...how am I supposed to understand your actions when I don't even understand you?"

Harry's lips curled up slightly and he sipped his coffee, "That's a very valid point Remus".

"Yes well I try to make those, makes me seem more intelligent."

They sat in an amiable silence, both working their way through the cakes on the table and thinking over what to do next. "How many people know about what happened in the shack?" Remus asked quietly.

Harry cleared his throat, "Well Hermione and Ron obviously. Draco too. Then I had an encounter with Dumbledore a few weeks ago.."

* * *

 **It was the morning after the full moon and chaos had descended on Hogwarts.**

 **The news of a werewolf attack was running rampage through the halls, along with the Draco Malfoy being found half dead in a bush in the forbidden forest the** **rumours were understandably quite insane. Varying from Draco Malfoy being bitten by a werewolf, to him having a vicious battle with a vampire and having to sacrifice his magic to burn it at the stake. None of them had basis in fact and very few of them got anywhere near the truth.**

 **In fact the boy was lying in the hospital wing right now suffering from a bad case of magical exhaustion and on bed rest for the next few days with visitations limited only to his family and close friends. Something that Harry resented heavily seeing as he didn't make his way onto the list. He fingered the wedding band around his neck, just because he wasn't considered a friend in public didn't make him any less of his family. By magic he was still married to the man even if it wasn't public knowledge, the wedding vows they'd chosen had been eternally binding.**

 **He grumbled into his cereal and tried to let the events from the night before leave his mind, especially his actions towards Sirius that he still felt extremely guilty about.**

 **After knocking the man out he'd taken called Amelia Bones and had the man taken straight to St Mungos for psychological evaluation and to await his trail. The results from the healers, even whilst the man was still in a magic induced coma, weren't looking positive and it seemed he'd need a long recovery period if he ever wanted to improve from his stay in Azkaban.**

 **"Harry". He looked up from his food to see the long white beard and twinkling blue eyes of the headmaster staring down at him. "I was wondering if you'd speak to me in my office".**

 **Harry nodded reluctantly and stood up, "Of course sir."**

 **They started the long walk towards his office in silence. When they reached the statue Dumbledore murmured his usual sweet themed password and they were allowed onto the stairs. Inside the office, Harry surveyed the chiming trinkets and statuettes placidly without any of the awe present his first time. He could feel Fawkes' eyes watching blankly as he took a seat. Dumbledore seemed to notice this and raised an eyebrow, "Harry. I was wondering if you could tell me exactly what happened last night".**

 **Harry looked the man up and down then nodded serenely before recounting a severely edited version of events. Removing the parts where he had conspired with Sirius and replaced them with some of the things he remembered happening in the original timeline. He went on to describe how Sirius and Wormtail had ran off to the woods and he'd followed. Leading to where he had cast the patronus and the rat had escaped.**

 **"And what happened to Mr Black afterwards?"**

 **"The few of the aurors came along with Amelia Bones".**

 **Dumbledore looked him up and down, his head tilted to the side, "How did she know to come?"**

 **Harry scoffed, "I'm a thirteen year old with a mass murderer on his trail. Naturally I was terrified. I organised a meeting with Susan for one of the Hogsmeade meetings and arranged a method to contact her if something happened. I sent her a message as soon as the dementors were gone".**

 **He knew his story had holes in, but he spoke calmly and clearly throughout having thought over his story overnight. He only hoped Dumbledore would believe him, if not trust him enough not to go and research into his story too thoroughly.**

 **Dumbledore nodded sagely, "A wise idea."**

 **"I like to be prepared, expect the unexpected. I'm not getting caught out ever again".**

* * *

"So you lied?" asked Remus mildly amused.

"What did you expect me to do? Tell him I'd been meeting with the supposed betrayer of my parents for months. No I lied through my teeth and prayed for the best. He still seems suspicious but hopefully it'll pass soon. After all, in the end I did nothing wrong."

Remus just shook his head and carried on staring at him as if he was some sort of enigma he needed to crack, "You're nothing like I expected."

"People change very quickly Remus. We adapt. I had to adapt a lot to survive and I'll continue adapting. I'm sure you've felt it, something is coming".

"You're far too wise for a thirteen year old", he said slowly, "How can one so young know so much?"

Harry merely smirked, "The age of the body is nothing compared to the age of the soul."

* * *

 _Dear Harry,_

 _It's been so long since I've last talked to you. To be honest I've been in shock. I won't pretend I understand what you did Harry or why you did it but I trust your judgement. Next time please give me warning before you pull a trick like that I'd rather not die of heart attack young. Ron has invited the both of us to the Quiditch World Cup as I'm sure you know by now. I've already told him I'm going and I hope you can too._

 _Please keep in touch_

 _Hermione_

Harry stared down at the letter with a small smile on his face. He loved how trusting and committed Hermione could be, he just hoped it wouldn't be her downfall again.

Currently he was sitting on his bed in Privet Drive reading his letters. His return to his relatives house had cause outrage and it was a problem he'd failed to register when playing out his plans for Sirius. After his attack on Aunt Marge the Dursley's had been more than a bit hostile but that seemed to be counteracted by the fear they showed in his presence. They may shout rude slurs at him but they always stayed at least 10 metres away from him and actually fed him proper meals this time around. Harry had also warned them his Godfather. Whilst he technically wasn't a criminal anymore it was now a well known fact throughout the wizarding world and even parts of the muggle that the ex-convict was insane to some degree. Harry knew he would be fixed in no time with the combination of magic and mind healing. His relatives didn't have to know.

He looked over at the invitation from Ron and began to pen his reply back. In his mind the events of the cup were spinning through his head. It would be the first death eater attack since the first war. Harry would be there this time, he would be ready. Just because he couldn't kill them yet, didn't mean he couldn't cause damage.


	11. Chapter 10

**Author's notes:** Return to the Burrow and Quidditch World Cup! I've decided from now on to try and post every other day sit better suits my schedule. Hope you don't mind, it's still quite frequent compared to lots of other writers. Anyway, read on.

* * *

Hello - Normal Text

"Hello" - Speech

 **Hello** \- Dream or Flashback

 _'hello'_ \- Thoughts

 _$hello$_ \- Parseltongue

* * *

Chapter 10

"They're late", growled his Uncle Vernon as he stood in the living room waiting for the 'freaks' to arrive.

Harry merely twiddled his thumbs and carried on staring at the fireplace expectantly as if waiting for it to suddenly explode, which he in fact was.

His Aunt Petunia scoffed, "Of course they're late! _Things_ like them can hardly use a phone they probably don't even know what a watch looks like".

Harry raised an eyebrow, "Actually they do. And their clocks are a lot more efficient than muggle ones, they don't need to be set they set themselves based on the time zone".

The eyes in the room snapped to his room and glared with such venomous intensity that it would've made his younger self shrink. Harry started biting his nails placidly and continued staring at the fire with a bored expression on his face.

Then there was a loud bang followed by scraping from inside of where the fireplace would be, if it wasn't boarded up and replaced by an electric one. Harry smirked at the idea of the large brood of Weasleys all jammed into the tunnel. Vernon's face purpled rapidly as he stared at the wall, "What the hell is going on?" Dudley squeaked and backed against the wall.

"The wizards are trying to get through your fireplace, you should probably let them out before they find their own way." The man's thick moustache began to twitch, "What do you mean boy?"

Harry rolled his eyes and walked towards the wall, pressing his ear against the plaster he could hear the muffled voices inside. "Mr Weasley. You won't be able to get through they've boarded up the fireplace."

Mr Weasley snorted as if it was preposterous, "Why on earth would they do that?"

"They have an electric fire", Harry waited patiently for the oncoming outburst.

"Eclectic! Really! I have to see this it'd be a great thing to have in my shed...move out the way boys I'm coming through!".

Harry took a step back and pulled his wand out of his back pocket, reminding himself that the ministry trace couldn't affect him anymore he raised his wand and cast a mild shield charm. He ignored his relatives looks of outrage and sat back to watch the action.

There was a sharp rap as if someone was knocking, then another, then suddenly "Bombarda!", the electric fire shot across the living room and bounced off his shield towards the sofa which it ripped soundly through. Harry watched in amusement as the living room burst into chaos, red head after red head tumbling out of the fireplace in quick succession. They were covered head to toe in plaster and debris and looked confused. Petunia snarled, Vernon if possible got even redder and Dudley ran to hide by the door as far away as possibly. Harry dropped his shield before the Weasleys could realise it was there.

Ginny looked up and her chocolate brown eyes met his for a second before she shot into his arms like a bullet, "Harry!"

"Hey Gin!" he said patting his friends hair and giving her a dazzling smile. Ron raised his eyebrow at them but didn't comment, "Hey mate! How's your summer been". He could see the smile was strained and that Ron couldn't really tell what to feel after the situation in the shrieking shack.

"It's been alright, I met up with Remus the other day".

"Lupin?" Ron asked looked genuinely intrigued, "How's he been?"

"Quite good actually. Got a job with some muggles in Cheltenham". Harry's eyes fell on the twins and his grin turned mischievous."Gred, Forge, how's it going?"

The twins smirked, "We've been working on some cool inventions Harry-"

"-we could use a test subject..."

Harry snorted, "Not in a million years".

Arthur Weasley, tall thin and balding, stepped through the rubble and smiled around in wonder at all of the muggle inventions. His eyes lit up on the electric fire before he turned back to Vernon. "You must be Harry's Uncle", he said putting his hand out to shake. The whale of a man grunted but didn't deign to touch him, Arthur looked completely unperturbed. He started looking around slowly as if trying to find an adequate point of conversation, "Do you have many things that run off eckeltricity?". His eyes had refocused on the fire

"Electric", Harry said under his breath whilst Vernon began to mumble about 'freaks invading my perfectly normal home'.

"Right, have you got your stuff Harry?"

Harry reached into his pocket and pulled out a small pocket sized trunk."I bought a self-shrinking trunk last summer", he lied not willing to let his secret magic use get out to anyone else. The man nodded once before gathering up his various children. "Right back through then".

The Weasleys began to get back in the fireplace and started to floor back to the burrow. Harry didn't miss as one of the twins dropped a large toffee on the floor from his pocket as he was getting in, he watched as Dudley went to pick it up with a small smile on his face. Soon it was just Harry, Mr Weasley and the Dursleys (now featuring a ten-ton-tongued Dudley). Arthur was looking at the boy frantically and pulling his wand as Dudley shrieked, "Go through Harry and I'll sort this out in a jiffy".

Harry stepped into the fire and watched bemused as the man was casting Finite and various other spells at the pig. Harry waved and he was off in a flash.

"Did he eat it?" asked Fred as soon as Harry stepped out of the fireplace. Harry nodded with a massive grin on his face as he surveyed the familiar scenes of organised mayhem at the Weasleys. He could recognise the familiar clock on the wall with the face of Arthur switching to home as he stepped out of the fireplace. He could see that Percy, Bill and Charlie's were also at home.

He looked around for them and saw Bill and Charlie sitting on the sofa. Charlie was talking quickly and making big arm movements to describe some kind of story as Bill laughed along. They both looked almost the same as when he last saw them. Charlie with his large muscles and shiny burns covering his arms. Bill still had his long hair and claw earring. The only main difference was his face which lacked the scarring from the werewolf attack. Whilst Bill had never transformed on the full moon, he still suffered from severe bouts of anger at the time and often had to take calming potions to stop himself lashing out on others.

He spotted Percy Weasley in the corner worked away hard on a stack of papers, probably on cauldron bottoms and the like. Harry started to make a beeline for him when he was suddenly pulled into a massive hug.

"Harry dear! I haven't seen you in ages", Molly Weasley looked him up and down squeezing his arms with a frown on her face. She shook her head, "We need to get some fat on you dear you look so thin".

Harry looked down at where his lean muscles were forming and pulled his face into a grimace. He'd been running around Little Whinging and doing various exercises regularly to keep himself fit, he would not let Molly turn him into Dudley Dursley. "It's fine Mrs Weasley I've been trying to eat healthy..."

Mrs Weasley shook her head, "Whatever you say dear".

Harry went and sat down on the table next to Percy Weasley and placed his chin in his hands, watching serenely as the man worked away. He looked up over his horn rimmed glasses and smiled faintly at him, "Hello Harry".

"Percy", he nodded shortly. "What are you working on?"

"I'm filling out a report on international cauldron trade. We had a delivery the other week with particularly bad structure that would've caused even a skilled potioneer to have an accident! It's absurd!" Harry thought he heard a snicker from one of the Twins in the background and he grimaced as Percy flinched.

Harry had always felt bad for Percy. Yes he'd acted like a bit of a prick in the war but he could understand why he'd done what he did. Living in a large family with big personalities like the Twins all of the focus seemed to be on them and never on Percy. He always seemed to be the odd one out and working for the ministry was his way to stand out and make a life for himself. It all went down hill from there.

Harry didn't want that to happen again, so he decided to throw the guy a bone.

"Of course. Quality control is very important if we didn't regulate there'd be emergencies all over the country. To much hassle for the magic reversal squad to deal with, not to mention the back-ups it'd cause at St Mungos".

Some of the other Weasleys were staring at him in abject shock whilst Percy smiled, absolutely delighted at the prospect of somebody being interested in his work.

Harry lent back in his chair and tented his fingers, "So you want a career in the ministry?"

Percy nodded, "Yes of course. There are so many good positions there, places where I can make a change".

Ron snorted, "Yes because cauldron bottoms are so important".

They both turned to glare at him before returning their eyes to each other. Harry leant forward in his seat and whispered so that nobody else could hear, "Are you sure you want to be examining cauldrons and being somebody else lackey for the rest of your life?"

Percy flushed bright red and his eyes turned angry, "Thats not it".

Harry rolled his eyes, "Please. None of the people like Fudge or Crouch really care about their assistants, they just want someone to take notes and do paperwork. To them you're just another meaningless person on the payroll".

"I'm not meaningless", Percy sneered but his eyes showed his hurt clearly.

He shook his head, "That's not what I meant. What I meant to say is that you're worth much more than that and you could go much further if you were given the right opportunities."

Percy surveyed him sceptically then nodded as if to say that he was listening.

Harry smiled, "Are you aware of the formation fo the Wizengamot?"

Percy raised an eyebrow, "Vaguely. I mostly focus on the laws than the Wizengamot itself".

"It's best to be as knowledgable as possible", Harry smirked. "The Wizengamot is made up of three sectors. The first is seats gained through position in the ministry. For example the heads of major departments like the DMLE and the minister of magic automatically get a seat. The second is those voted into seats by the public as representations of the people. Then there is the third. Seats are awarded to pureblood families of higher class who've achieved either ancient or noble status. That's most of the sacred twenty eight and a few other families. They will each have a Lord or Lady to sit in their seat".

Percy shook his head, "As useful as this information is I hardly see how this is relevant to me".

Harry smiled, "I think you should apply for a Lordship".

Percy snorted and shook his head ruefully, "I hardly think the Weasley's will ever find their way to being ancient and noble. The Malfoy's certainly wouldn't allow it". The redhead grimaced at the name whilst Harry's eyes softened at the mention of Draco.

"The Weasley's maybe not but the Prewett's certainly". Percy tilted his head in confusion. "Your mother was born a Prewett. When her brother died she became the last of her line. Her and all of your brothers and sisters are the only people with strong enough Prewett blood left on the planet. They have been classed as part of the sacred twenty eight for a very long time meaning they definitely have a seat on the Wizengamot. Due to the end of line clauses, anybody with close enough ties can apply for the seat to try and preserve the eldest would be the heir but a member of the Wizengamot would have to be present for every single one of the meetings and due to the nature of both Bill and Charlie's jobs, neither of them would be elegible. Which leaves it to you. If you were to get in it'd become an almost full time job, you'd keep the surname Weasley but your formal title would be Lord Prewett and it'd give you the opportunity to go into politics and really make a difference".

Percy was staring at him in complete awe before he mumbled, "You're really quite intelligent Mr Potter".

"I try", He shrugged. "You can apply at any time after the age of 17 and it usually takes about 4 months for it to be processed. Verifications with gringotts, background checks and such. I was going to see if I could apply when I was older, technically I'm the heir to 3 houses but I can only really apply for 2".

Percy raised an eyebrow, "3?"

He nodded, "Yes. Potter obviously. I'm the last of the line so I'm the only one eligible, nobody is sitting in the seat at the moment so I can claim it as soon as I'm of age. I'm eligible for Black through my godfather but there are other people with much closer ties who could claim it before me so that ones out. I'm also one of two people eligible for the Peverell line, which has been extinct for a very long time."

Percy nodded sagely and gave him a small grin, "I think I might just hand in my application".

"Good luck", Harry held out his hand and they shook before he left the table and walked to the others where they all gave him shocked looks.

"What on earth just happened?" Ron whispered as he continued to stare at Percy's grinning face across the room.

Harry shook his head and took a sip from a glass of orange juice that Mrs Weasley had just handed to him, "I just gave him something interesting to think about is all".

Harry walked over to the sofa where Charlie and Bill were still talking and grinned, "Harry Potter. Pleasure to meet you".

They introduced themselves and shook each others hands then Harry took a seat opposite them. "How's Norberta?"

Charlie blinked in shock, "How did you know she was a girl? I thought you guys called him Norbert..."

Harry twiddled his thumbs, "I'm good at care...speaking of Dragons I have a really odd question for you."

The man smiled and leaned forwards in interest, "Carry on".

"How exactly would one go about slaying a dragon?"

Charlie blinked in shock and snorted, "Impossible. It takes a whole team to stun one, one person alone couldn't kill it."

Harry raised an eyebrow, "Just speaking hypothetically".

The man shrugged, "I suppose if one was powerful enough...the weakest place of a dragon is its underbelly. Damage that and you can cause enough pain to subdue it. I have no idea how I'd kill one. I suppose you could just fight fire with fire and hope for the best."

Harry grinned like a maniac, "Sounds good".

* * *

The trek up to the top of the hill was long and took them through lots of marshy fields and farms. Harry enjoyed the stroll and the fresh air that he hadn't had much of in Privet Drive. Even his daily runs weren't like this as the park he visited was in the middle of a large housing estate.

He could see the two men waiting at the top of the hill and recognised them almost instantly. Amos and Cedric Diggory. His finger clenching in his palms as he remembered that fateful day in the graveyard. He smiled emotionlessly as they reached the pair, "Hello Cedric".

The tall teen looked at him in faint shock at the sound of his name but smiled charmingly, "Hello Harry. I didn't expect to see you here".

"I've been staying with the Weasley's". He gestured to the group of redheads, Ron grimaced slightly at the Hufflepuff.

"Merlin, Harry? Harry Potter?" He turned to see Amos Diggory looking at him in shocked awe. Harry's eye twitched faintly, "Yes".

Harry was extremely thankful that he could avoid the awkward conversations of last time as Mr Weasley told them all to gather around the manky old boot. "Three...Two..One". Then he felt the hook behind his navel that jerked him forward as they sped through the howling wind and across the country. They landed on the ground, Harry planting his feet heavily and was the only teen beside Cedric who'd remained standing.

Said teen raised an eyebrow, "Portkeyed before?"

Harry chuckled, "Apparated and the sensations are much the same".

"Seven past five from Stoatshead Hill", said a monotonous voice and they began their walk in the direction of the event officials. After talking with the farmer it didn't take them long to make their way through the rows of large and extravagant tents towards the Weasleys. As they walked past Harry stared at the things incredulously, some had turrets and en-suite bathrooms for God sake. Had none of these people ever seen a Muggle tent? Uninformed bigots.

He saw Cho Chang, the Ravenclaw seeker who he'd 'dated' in his fifth year. She smiled and waved happily, he sent one back before walking off quickly.

They toured around the tent. It was massive on the inside. A fully equipped kitchen and separated bedrooms all of which were decked out in hippy fabric and furniture. He and Ron took one room at the back for themselves where they began to set up, Harry pulled out a small bag of coins and slipped it into his pocket for later.

When they were outside again he watched bemusedly as Arthur Weasley tried and failed to use the matches. Harry came over and took the packet out of his hands, "It's ok Mr Weasley I can do it. You can go help prep the food ok?" The man nodded sadly and headed back in the tent along with the other boys who he wrangled into cooking.

As soon as they were gone Harry knelt down on the ground and grasped one of the sticks and held it in his hand. He concentrated all of his power on it, feeling as it rushed through his veins and ignited the wood beneath his fingertips. He smiled at the bright orange sparks, not seeing the similar ones which had begun to glow behind his eyes. Ginny Weasley, however, did. She gasped softly from her place by the tent door and walked out towards him. Harry looked up and their eyes met.

"Ginny", he started slowly.

"How long have you been able to do that?" she whispered in awe.

He smiled down at the flickering flames that lit up the area around him, "A while".

"You know how rare this is right?" she said as she sank down next to him and hovered her pale freckled hands over the flames.

He regarded her seriously, "Everyone can do it. They just need to be able to focus".

Her eyes lit up and she turned to face him with a bright look on her face, "Could I?"

He grasped her hands in his and began to study them intently. He held her palms out flat, "Close your eyes. Imagine all of your magic in the palm of your hands, funnel it through your veins towards that spot and imagine it forming in front of you. Manifesting before your eyes. Then open".

When she opened her eyes, there was something in her hand. Swirling and twisting like a concentrated mass and pulling at it's surroundings like some kind of mini tornado. Harry raised an eyebrow, "I would've pegged you for a fire elemental..." Ginny remained staring at it in awe, suddenly it disappeared and she pouted at the empty space on her palms.

"It'll take a long time, years, to get anything substantial or particularly useful out of it but it's still pretty cool."

"Thank you".

"You're welcome", he looked back at the tent door, "You should get back inside and remember..." he held his finger to his lips then zipped his mouth shut. She nodded frantically then ran off back inside. He smiled fondly after her then returned his eyes back to the fire.

* * *

Draco ran his fingers over the thin black fabric, revelling at both how soft it felt as he rubbed it between his thumb and fingers. Yet the very same thing sent chills up his spine. His eyes focused on the bone white mask that laid in the silver case at the bottom of the trunk. It was polished and shining like a pearl. He could feel the person standing behind him and he tilted his head to the side only slightly to be able to see the man in his peripherals. He was almost the spitting image of himself except with longer hair that was just a shade lighter, he was also 20 years older than him.

"Father", he murmured with his eyes connected to the wall.

"Draco", the man tilted his head in recognition. He walked over to the box and took out the Death Eater mask and stared at it as if lost in some kind of memory. Good or bad, he couldn't tell quite yet.

"What are you doing here?"

"I came to find you", he said with the material still trapped firmly between his fingers. "I found something else instead".

His father shook his head sadly and took a seat on the pale green ottoman, ever the picture of pureblood grace. He laid his cane down beside him and looked up at his son, "How do you feel?"

"Empty". The teen took a seat on the bed and frowned at the black silk. "Confused? Confused about being confused. Mostly just empty".

Lucius slowly reached his hand out to take the cloak, he pulled it out of his sons hands and placed it in the trunk before closing the lid with a clink. He tapped his fingernails on the wood in thought. "Why?"

"Why?" The teen snarled. "Why?! So there's no reason for me to feel anything at all about the fact that my fathers a murderer! That you probably spent years raping and slaughtering innocents! I don't even know what kind of man you are because all you ever do is lie and pay your way out of things. They may not have proof but I know what you did!" He let out a small sob and a shudder before focusing his glaring eyes on him again.

"You've never been this way before..." the older man mumbled.

"I grew a conscience father. Maybe some day you'll grow one too but at least for me it wasn't too late".

He grabbed his own dark blue cloak and stalked out the tent and into the night where the after-match celebrations were already being kicked off by the Irish fans.

Later on that evening he watched as the Death Eaters marched through the tents from the back of the shadows, his hands in his pockets and his wand rolling through his fingers. He could hear the screaming but he remained completely still as he observed figures.

He could tell as soon as the three people ran towards him exactly who they were.

"Potter, Granger, Weasel". He nodded to each of them respectively, his eyes barely lingering on Harry's.

"Piss off Malfoy", said the angry redhead as he snarled at him. "I wouldn't be surprised if your father was out there right now."

He raised one single immaculate eyebrow and replied in a monotone, "You'd be exactly right Weasley." His eyes made contact with Harry's again, "Go for something painful but non-lethal. Borderline if you can but we wouldn't want it to reflect badly". He nodded one more time before walking off further into the forest. Weasley and Granger watched in confusion but he could tell Harry understood perfectly.

He observed silently as the Gryffindor engaged himself in the fighting, a vicious smiled over his face. He whipped off spell after spell at the black cloaked figures and he could tell just the second as the cutting curse hit the leg of the blond figure he knew to be his father. He tipped his head and tracked his movement as he fell to the ground with blood staining his pale skin. Perhaps he'd lose his leg. They'd probably be able to re-attach it or get him a new one but the few hours of pain and the scream his father released in that moment was enough to last Draco a lifetime. He pulled his wand out of his pocket and cast a quick disillusionment spell as he blended back into the darkness and headed off into the night.


	12. Chapter 11

Hello - Normal Text

"Hello" - Speech

 **Hello** \- Dream or Flashback

 _'hello'_ \- Thoughts

 _$hello$_ \- Parseltongue

* * *

Chapter 11

"You're awfully quiet", Ginny said gently as she sat down beside him on the sofa at the burrow.

"There isn't much to say".

The ginger girl snorted loudly, drawing the attention of some of the others in the room but she quickly waved them off, "You almost cut a death eaters leg off".

Harry just stared at her blankly, "You can hardly say that he didn't deserve it".

"You're right".

The burrow had been mayhem ever since they'd returned from the World Cup yet nobody except Ginny had decided to approach him, merely giving sideways glances. He supposed he understood. He wouldn't approach himself in this state. He'd gone insane as soon as the Death Eaters entered the camps, levitating the muggle family behind them and lighting tents on fire as they walked past. He'd sent off curse after curse, the prospect of Azkaban the only thing stopping him from killing them all and leaving a trail of blood in his wake.

They'd all gotten away, but not without serious damage, and he had watched dejectedly as Barty Crouch cast the dark mark in the sky with a wand that wasn't Harry's own.

It was a signal. A harbinger. Nobody else understood but to Harry it could only mean one thing.

Soon, the Dark Lord would return.

"Do you want to talk?"

No, no he didn't. He had too many things to do, horcruxes to find, allies to gain. Talking with Ginny seemed wholly insignificant in that moment. He turned to look at her and smiled weakly, "I've already told you. There's nothing to talk about".

* * *

Harry and his friends stepped off of the train and onto the dark platform where they made their way towards the carriages. Harry stopped to look at the animals pulling the carriage and held his hand out as one rubbed its bony face across the back.

Hermione looked at him oddly, "What are you doing Harry?"

"Stroking the thestrals", he said as if it was the most normal thing in the world. Her eyes widened fractionally and she stepped closer, her hand going out as if she was about to check his temperature.

"Are you okay?" she asked hesitantly.

He grinned, "Absolutely amazing". He held out a chicken sandwich that he'd got from Mrs Weasley and watched as the thestrals began munching away happily. Hermione stared in abject shock as the sandwich began to disappear into thin air as if something was taking large bites out of it.

He gave the animal one last pat on the head before getting into the carriage alongside the others. Hermione's eyes didn't leave him for the entire carriage ride.

As soon as they reached the castle Harry jumped off and headed towards the great hall, the others following sedately behind him. They took their seats at the Gryffindor table and the others instantly began looking for the new Defence teacher but found the seat empty.

"I bet nobody wanted to apply because of the curse", Ron mumbled, "Still can't get over the fact Lupin quit".

Hermione shrugged, "He wanted to help Sirius through his recovery. He was looking for his friend".

Harry stayed quiet, merely staring at his golden plate and trying to take his focus away from the current topic of conversation. His eyes flickered towards the large wooden doors, waiting for something to happen.

Harry watched as all of the first year students went up one by one. Dennis Creevey, still slightly wet from falling into the lake, stumbled up to the stall and smiled winningly at the whole hall. Harry flinched at the happy look in the child's eyes, remembering a time when all of that had slipped away as he watched his brother day. He felt a hand on his shoulder, "Are you ok?"

"Perfect", he smiled warily at Hermione.

As soon as the sorting was finished dinner commenced. Nearly Headless Nick floated past, "You're lucky there was a dinner at all tonight".

"Why?" asked Ron around the Yorkshire pudding in his mouth.

"Peeves. In the kitchen, he was throwing pots and pans around and disturbing all the house elves-" Hermione's fork hit the plate and she looked up gobsmacked.

"House elves?"

Nick snorted loudly, "What? Did you think the dinner just appeared out of nowhere? Hogwarts has one of the largest groups of house elves in a single dwelling in the UK."

Hermione turned to him gobsmacked, "Is this true?"

Harry took a forkful of beef and swallowed, "I've seen them before. When I was in the kitchen last year with Susan they kept on giving us pastries".

Hermione let out a sob, "This food was made by slave labour".

She started murmuring in a SPEW style rant and Harry looked on amused, "You do know how house elves work right? They can't survive properly if they aren't bonded to another magical place or person. All of the house elves here are bonded to Hogwarts, if they were fired they wouldn't survive twenty four hours".

If anything, Hermione looked even more angry, "That's horrible!"

"Just the way it is", Ron said sadly.

Dumbledore cleared his throat at the head table and stood up for everyone to see, "Now that we are all fed and watered!" Hermione turned her nose up in disgust, "May I have your attention whilst I give out a few notices".

"Mr. Filch, the caretaker, has asked me to tell you that the list of objects forbidden inside the castle has this year been extended to include Screaming Yo-yos, Fanged Frisbees, and Ever-Bashing Boomerangs. The full list comprises some four hundred and thirty-seven items, I believe, and can be viewed in Mr. Filch's office, if anybody would like to check it."

The corners of Dumbledore's mouth twitched. He continued, "As ever, I would like to remind you all that the forest on the grounds is out-of-bounds to students, as is the village of Hogsmeade to all below third year. It is also my painful duty to inform you that the Inter-House Quidditch Cup will not take place this year."

"What?" Ron gasped. He turned to Harry and stared gobsmacked whilst Harry remained blank. The rest of the quidditch team gave off shouts of outrage and Fred began to stand up, ready to give a two finger salute.

Dumbledore went on, "This is due to an event that will be starting in October, and continuing throughout the school year, taking up much of the teachers' time and energy - but I am sure you will all enjoy it immensely. I have great pleasure in announcing that this year at Hogwarts -"

The door slammed open and a lighting struck the enchanted ceiling, ever person turned to see the dark figure standing in the doorway and Harry's hands clenched instinctively around his wand. He knew exactly who this was.

A dull clunk sounded as he made his way down the hallway, his fake leg banging against the floor. His hair was wild and straggle and his face was just as mutilated as before, made up of gashes and scars that seemed to encompass every part of his skin. His mechanical eye was whirring around madly, completely out of sink with his regular one, and seemed to be unable to focus on any single thing at a time. He made his way to the front of the hall and stopped.

"May I introduce your new Defence Against the Dark Arts teacher?" said Dumbledore brightly. "Professor Moody".

The man took his seat and the hall stayed completely silent. Harry and Draco's eyes met across the distance and they both understood, this wasn't Alastor Moody. This was Barty Crouch Jr.

Harry could spot the familiar flask on the mans hip, full to the brim with polyjuice potion. He wondered if the real Moody was already stored away in the trunk in his office, perhaps that's why he was so late to dinner.

Moody looked completely indifferent to the murmurs around him and simply took a sip of pumpkin juice along with a long drag from his hip flask.

"As I was saying, this year Hogwarts will be hosting the tri-wizard tournament!"

* * *

Harry had sat in the first row, strategically right in front of Crouch's desk so that he could observe him throughout the whole lesson. The man himself wasn't in the room yet and the class was murmuring in anticipation, Harry himself was twitching and his eyes kept surveying the room suspiciously. He could see Draco doing the same out of the corner of his eyes.

It was only a small noise, a little gush of wind but it was enough of a signal to Harry and in one single second he was on his feet with his wand pointed in the exact direction of where he'd heard the noise.

There was laughter, loud and with an insane quality to it. Slowly a body began to appear in thin air and when 'Moody' was revealed Harry could see he'd aimed his wand right between the mans eyes.

He grinned maniacally here then turned to the rest of the class. "Somebody here was prepared. What about the rest of you. If I'd been armed you would've been dead within a second. CONSTANT VIGILANCE!" He shouted and nearly everyone jumped. Harry collapsed back into his chair.

"Now", the man cleared his throat, "I've heard from your previous Professor that you've been studying dark creatures. Which means that it's my job to get you caught up on curses. The ministry says I'm only supposed to teach you counter-curses. You aren't meant to see what a dark curse looks like till 6th year. I, however, have explicit permission from Dumbledore himself to start teaching them now."

His eyes surveyed the classroom until they landed on Harry, "Can anybody here tell what are the curses punished the most heavily by wizarding law?"

"Er..." Ron started. "My dad told me about one, the imperious curse I think".

"Ah yes..your father would know about that one", he reached under his desk and pulled out a jar of large black spiders and placed them in front of him. Ron whimpered.

He flicked his wand and one spider was lifted out of the jar and onto the wood. "Imperio", he muttered.

The spider came to life, jumping and tap dancing around the desk in a little jig. The class burst into laughter, all except Harry and Draco who were staring at the man with intense hatred. The spider lifted off the table and jumped to another desk.

"Think it's funny do you?" Moody grumbled. "You'd like it if it was you?"

The spider flew and landed on Lavender Brown's head who let out a girl shriek and started trying to whack it off whilst Parvati ducked under the table. Slowly the spider was lifted and dropped back into the jar. Moody stared at them all blankly.

"Complete and total control, that's what the Imperius gives you. They could make you kill your closest family and you would be powerless against it. The imperius can be fought, and I will be teaching you to, but it takes real strength of character and mind".

He stared around the room, "Anybody else? Another illegal curse?"

Hermione's hand flew up into the air and so did Neville's. Harry could remember that day in St Mungo's when he'd met Frank and Alice. They'd looked so lost and confused, barely knowing their own name's let alone that of their son. He couldn't help but wonder if maybe that could've been his own parents. The prophecy could've gone either way after all, who knows how much it would've changed?

"Yes?" asked Moody, his magical eye resting on Neville.

"There's one - the cruciatus curse. Sir", said Neville in a small voice but it was the loudest thing in the silence.

Moody was looking straight at him with both eyes. "Your name's Longbottom right?"

That was about when Harry felt it, the complete and utter rage that began to fill him. Because this wasn't Alistor Moody, this was Barty Crouch.

This man had stood there and watched, no he participated, when the Lestrange's tortured the Longbottom's to insanity. This man was a monster who deprived Neville of the childhood he deserved and yet he could stand there with no emotion and look the boy in his eyes as if he did nothing. As if he was innocent.

One of the windows began to shake imperceptibly and if anybody were looking they'd see his eyes start to glow a fiery orange right around the pupil, as if a ring spreading throughout his soul.

"The cruciatus curse", the man murmured softly and turned back to the jar. He flourished his wand, "Crucio".

Oh how Harry remembered the pain. Like white hot fire spreading through every nerve and muscle of his body, lighting up with energy that coursed through his veins and wouldn't relent. In those moments, it was almost like his mind vanished from his body and the pain was the only thing left of what he once was. He was a shell of himself, vulnerable and raw in the face of his enemies as he retched and spasmed.

Was that how Frank and Alice felt every day? Could they ever forget such a pain? It was a pain that was so hard to bear that their minds closed in on themselves in order to be protected.

And Crouch just stared placidly as the spider twitched, rocking side to side as it curled in itself. Its legs attacked it's body as if trying to rip itself apart. Harry could almost hear the non-existent scream it released.

"Stop".

And this time it wasn't Hermione who said the word, it was him. His voice was blank, drained of all emotion but it held such a force that Moody could do nothing but comply.

He looked to his side where he saw Neville, white and clutching the desk with wide red rimmed eyes. He could see Draco, fingers twitching in the corner almost as if he could feel the curse in his own veins.

Harry had no doubt that Draco could remember that feeling, he'd been in many Death Eater meetings and if anything was true it was that Voldemort loved to punish his followers.

"Pain. You don't need to resort to knives and thumbscrews if you know that spell". He placed the spider back in the jar.

"Does anybody know the last spell?"

"Avada Kedavra", Draco said blankly and everyone turned to stare at him. Ron had a snarl on his face as his eyes met the blond.

Moody raised an eyebrow as the people in the classroom began to look uneasy.

The last spider was frantically trying to get away is if it knew it was about to meet it's sticky end. "Avada Kedavra!" the Professor roared and the spider fell dead in an instant with only a bright green light to signal it.

Several of the people stifled cries in the classroom and looked on in horror. Hermione's eyes met his and he closed his eyes at the image of the creature.

He'd cast the killing curse before. Once.

He could still remember the feeling of that, the pure rage and the feeling of ecstasy that passed through you as you took another's life. It was delicious and addictive and the very fact scared the shit out of Harry. Enough that he refused to pick up his wand for a month afterwards.

Harry had studied the dark arts before, it used to be part of his job and he understood it's nature quite well. He'd realised quite a long time ago that the line between dark and light wasn't so clean cut and that exceptions could be made. But with the Killing curse there was no deliberation.

That single spell was the personification of pure evil. He would place it on par with a horcrux if he could.

He'd felt so dirty and disgusted as soon as the realisation of what he'd done washed over him and he shuddered as his eyes tracked the spider as it vanished.

"Not nice", the man said slowly. "Now pleasant and there's no way to block it. There's only one person to ever survive it and he's sitting right in front of me".

Harry leant back in his chair and raised his eyebrows as he met the mans eyes. He could practically feel the man's hatred rolling off him. Harry had killed his master and he was damn proud of doing it.

"Avada Kedavra's a powerful curse that needs a lot of magic behind it. You could all get your wands out and cast it at me and I wouldn't even get a nosebleed-"

Harry couldn't help it. He snorted, and loudly at that. Every eye snapped to him with incredulity.

Crouch came over to his desk and stood in front of him, "Something funny boy?"

Harry deliberately twirled his wand between his finger and smiled. "Perhaps. You say you wouldn't even get a nosebleed but that's not true. It's all about intent right? You have to _mean_ to kill someone. I can think of at least three people in this room who'd mean it."

The man's eyebrow twitched and both of his eyes focused on him as Harry stared him down blankly, not flinching for even a second. He could feel the horror filled looks from some of his classmates. Then Crouch turned away and walked back to his desk before tapping his wand on the blackboard. The page number appeared in white chalk, "Take notes".

Then the classroom was filled with the sound of scratching quills, all except for the intermittent murmurs. "Did you see it twitch?" "It came so close to me!"

Harry didn't take notes, merely flicking the pages back and forth as if he didn't know which one to focus on. He didn't need to take notes, he already knew enough.

As soon as the bell rang he hurried out of the classroom with Hermione hot on his tails.

"Neville!" she said frantically and Harry nodded before heading off in the boys direction. "I'll take care of it".

He quickly caught the boy before Moody could get to him and pulled him into an alcove. Neville looked at him shocked and still pale and Harry loosened the tight hold he had on his forearm.

"It's ok", He said quietly. "To hate that, I hate it too and after everything we've been through we have every right to feel scared. But don't you dare forget Neville. Don't let that spell, that thing, taint the image of your parents. Remember them for who they were and not what those monsters made them. It's ok to be scared, but don't ever let it be the only thing you can feel".

Neville was standing frozen beside him, "You know?" His voice was small and lost, Harry could sense him shaking.

"Yes. I have an album in my trunk with pictures in it. Your mum and mine were friends, there's some images of her if you want them".

Neville smiled at him widely, "Thank you".

"Anytime", he smiled back.

* * *

"Why are we here?" Draco murmured quietly as he stared at the blank wall in front of them.

They were on the seventh floor and Harry was currently pacing back and forth down the corridor and concentrating on the image of the room. He stopped as soon as tall wooden doors began to form.

"Ticking another thing off our list."

He opened the door and stared through the isles of junk. Book piled as high as the roof, old bottles of sherry and various trinkets were scattered on the ground. Draco headed straight for the books whilst Harry began to sift through with the items with his eyes in an attempt to locate the diadem.

"Secrets of The Darkest Art", Draco held up the old leather bound book for him to see.

"Take it. We wouldn't want anybody to find it anyway, plus it might be useful. Voldemort uses those spells and you know what they say-"

-"Know thy enemy", finished the blond with a smile as he slipped the book into his bag.

Harry kissed him lightly on the cheek, "Look at us. Finishing each others sentences."

He spotted the diadem on the top of a bust. It was silver with polished blue jewels that gleamed in the sparse lighting of the room and Harry instantly drifted towards it. The magic thrummed across his skin as he picked up the tiara and held it in his hands. Draco tapped his wand to it and a wooden box similar to the one holding the ring began to form.

"Are we not doing it now?" Harry asked confused as Draco placed the box in his bag.

"Not yet."

"Whatever you say", said Harry with a shrug.

He trusted Draco with his life and if he didn't want to destroy it just yet then he would listen. It was the least he could do for the man.


	13. Chapter 12

**Author's notes:** Just going to say here, I won't bother with all of the French accents and such in this. I did French GCSE so I know how to pronounce things but when I write it it still sounds ridiculous and over the top. If you want to read in an accent go ahead!

* * *

Hello - Normal Text

"Hello" - Speech

 **Hello** \- Dream or Flashback

 _'hello'_ \- Thoughts

 _$hello$_ \- Parseltongue

* * *

Chapter 12

"Do you understand how creepy that is?"

Harry looked up from his book and at Ginny, who'd just sat opposite him at the Gryffindor table. He was absent mindedly stroking his snake, Persephone, whilst she rested on his shoulders. He grinned up at her, "Yes. That's why I do it."

 _$Ssstupid humansss. I'm not creepy, I'm terrifying$_ the snake hissed down at him and he surpassed a laugh.

 _$Of course you are$_ he let the snake nuzzle his neck and quirked an eyebrow when Ginny shuddered.

The girl pulled out her Astronomy book and began to read quietly when a few a few minutes in she let out a loud noise of discuss.

"God I hate that girl".

Harry looked over in the direction she was looking and spotted said girl. Fleur Delacour. Her blonde hair was shining with an unearthly sheen that was completely unnatural. Her eyes were gleaming blue and she had that radiant quality that only Veelas could have in such quantities. As typical, boys were drooling towards her and shouting about how great they were in bed and how strong they were in feeble attempts to gain their attention. Most of the girls watched on in envy.

Including Ginny.

"Why?" he asked, already knowing the answer.

"All of the boys love her and she doesn't acknowledge anyone! She could have any boy in the school yet she looks at them like they're completely below her! It's bloody insane!" The girls cheeks were bright red and she was glaring in the blonde's direction.

It was true. For the last day, ever since the Beauxbatons and Durmstrang students had arrived half of the school had been falling all over the Veela. Classic Fleur simply turned up her nose at everyone and gave a few comments in poor English.

Over the years she had become a lot more likeable, especially since marrying Bill. Harry and Draco had been invited over to their house quite a few times for dinner and they were quite good friends. Especially her and Draco with his families French roots. Perhaps they could be friends again once she realised he wouldn't try to slobber all over her.

"Think about how she feels. She'd never be able to find a boyfriend because she doesn't know who likes her for _her_ and who thinks she's just a sex toy. Must be hard".

Ginny stared at him with her mouth dropped open before she hit him on the arm.

"What was that for?" he squeaked. Totally not like a girl.

"For making me feel like a bad person", she pouted.

"That's because you are", he smirked and Persephone nodded in amused agreement. Ginny just pouted more and gazed in the girls direction.

"It's not fair. How come you're like the only boy unaffected?"

"I'm gay Ginny. I like dick", he deadpanned. Her cheeks went even redder before.

She shook it off then something suddenly clicked in her brain, like a lightbulb going off. She leant in close, "Harry...aren't Veela like walking gay-dars. You feel nothing, so whose to say other gay people don't feel nothing too".

He raised his eyebrows and subtly craned his neck to look around the room. Lo and behold, at every table there was at least a few boys who seemed completely uninterested in the quarter-veela, including Draco. He could see Justin Finch-Fletchley engaged in conversation with Susan and being completely oblivious as well as Dean and Seamus who seemed only interested in eachother. Harry snorted, _'figures'._ There were some other boys who were oblivious but the rest were at least looking at Fleur even if they weren't openly drooling.

Ginny had started to look around as well and mentally began making a list. "What are you doing?"

She smirked, "Finding you a boyfriend of course!"

He snorted and hit her on the shoulder. "I don't need you to find me one."

She looked him up and down with a glint in her eye then nodded in agreement, "You're right. You can attract enough guys yourself...Now. The Zabini problem".

He groaned and hit his head on the table. "This is serious!" she growled.

He sighed and leant in close. "Look. It's a Triwizard Tradition that they have a Yule Ball around Christmas. If you want me to, I can help you get him as your date. Ok?"

She nodded happily with a big grin on her face then pulled him into an awkward hug over the table and murmured 'thank you' into his ear. "Any time".

* * *

Harry stared at the room of requirement in complete shock. His eyes bugged out as he looked across the desks and tables that had been set up everywhere. Cauldrons were boiling over filled with thick purple and red gunk, what looked like a kettle was boiling in the corner and there were blue post it notes bookmarking a massive tome. Draco was standing in the middle with his hair frizzy and his cheeks flushed as he held a pipette over a muggle chemistry kit.

"Is this what your office used to look like?" Harry said dazed. He'd never been in the other man's office due to the secrecy in the Department of Mysteries but if it was even half as crazy as this he didn't want to go anywhere near it.

Draco looked up and he had a crazed look in his eyes as he rushed over and grabbed Harry's arm. "Look at this!"

He stared at the purple goop in the cauldron as it bubbled and frothed in front of him. "What is it?" He scanned it intensely as if waiting for it to suddenly turn into something mildly interesting.

Draco rolled his eyes and pointed at it as if he was missing something obvious, "Just look!"

"Nope. I see nothing".

The blonde grabbed what looked like a pair of solid silver tongs and dipped them into the solution, when he pulled them out they were clutching something metal that was now fizzing and spitting everywhere. Slowly as the liquid began to drain away he realised exactly what it was that had been in the cauldron. His eyes widened and he took a step back.

"Draco..."

"I did it!" He grinned waving around the diadem wildly whilst his eyes sparkled in happiness.

"What exactly did you do?"

"Look in the cauldron".

Harry reluctantly leaned over the cauldron and his body stilled as the contents began to become clearer. It was pitch black, a sickly green occasionally swirled by like dust wafting through the air. Then, out of the darkness, a face began to appear. It was covered in the black goop and it stretched across the face's mouth as it writhed and suffocated beneath it. Screaming like a banshee. He jumped backwards and hid body slammed not the table behind him.

He turned to Draco, eyes wide like a deer in headlights, "What the fuck is that?!"

Draco turned towards the massive tome and flicked to one of the blue marked pages before presenting it to him.

"You were going on about trying to sever the resurrection stone from the ring, so we didn't destroy it. And I was thinking, 'why can't we do something like that with the other horcruxes?' I mean that's Ravenclaws fucking diadem. It's a magical artefact we can't just destroy it. So I thought, what if we could try and remove the soul from the object and then destroy it like that."

Harry turned to the cauldron in horror, "Are you saying..."

"Yeah!" the boy chirped. "That's a cauldron full of Dark Lord".

"My god.." Harry whispered. "It's like a bad Celestina Warbeck parody".

The cauldron letup another unearthly scream and Draco hastily flung a lid on it to stop it escaping. He rubbed the back of his neck nervously.

"The good thing is, we saved the Diadem. The bad thing is, we now have a piece of soul trapped in side of a cauldron. We need to find somewhere to put it or else it'll get out and we don't want another incident like the one with the diary". He winced at the reminder of his second year when Ginny had been possesed.

"How did you do it?" he asked quietly.

"A combination of different potions. I tried to apply Dementor Theory and combined a leeching and a purging solution together. Then I had to soak it for four days whilst adding unicorn hair and various other pure substances to try and trap the dark magic. I'm not sure how long the potion can remain stabilised before the thing starts going haywire and it tries to escape."

Draco placed the Diadem on the table and Harry pulled him into a big hug. "You're amazing", he murmured into his ear and the blond shrugged. "Of course I am, did you expect anything less?" his voice was snooty but Harry could see the warmth and pride in his voice.

"Well there's only one thing to do with it then..."

The trek down to the girls bathroom was long, especially as they had to keep their eyes on the map the whole time whilst trying to keep the two of them and a levitating cauldron covered by the invisibility cloak. Eventually they reached the sink and Harry cast a small incense spell to repel ghosts so Myrtle wouldn't find them.

 _$Open$_ he hissed to the small snake scratched into the wall and watched closely as the wall began to part with a loud grinding sound.

"Come on". He flicked his wand and cauldron began to follow behind him and into the chamber.

He grimaced at the slime covering the floor and the bones he could already see at the bottom of the pipe, even from a distance.

 _$Close. Stairs$_ The clanging sound of metal appeared as steps began to pop out of the tunnel. They started their descent.

Draco was behind him, waving his hands and watching as water washed away the grime covering the whole of the pathway. He vanished the bones of the dead animals and slowly but surely the tunnel started to become cleaner and regained the regal shine that it must've had back when Slytherin first built it.

Harry raised an eyebrow at him and he just smiled. "It'd be a great place to hang out!".

They reached the newly refurbished snake door and he braced himself, "You might want to cover your nose it could be a bit disgusting".

When the door opened he was staring into the blind eyes of a still fully formed basilisk. His mouth dropped open in shock. "What?" he stuttered.

Draco rolled his eyes, "Honestly...if you knew actually read any of the books in our library you'd know it takes at least 4 times longer for a magical creature to decompose. If the Basilisk could survive for 100's of years you really don't think it's turn to a pile of goop in a few."

"I thought it would have done something!" He almost shouted.

Draco just scoffed and placed the cauldron on the floor. He pulled out a box filled with empty crystal vials and reached into the Basilisk's mouth. Harry watched in shock as he de-venomed the snake and filled up the vials slowly. Then he brandished his wand and started making intricate slashing motions all over the creature.

"What are you doing?" His brow furrowed.

"Basilisk parts are worth a fortune in the potions community. Plus Basilisk skin is on par with Dragon hide in terms of strength and durability. It'd be dead useful".

Slowly the snake was deconstructed and packed away into separate boxes ready for Draco to use later. Then they got to work on cleaning the rest of the chamber. Draco drained the pools and filled them with fresh decontaminated water.

Once it was done they turned back to the cauldron and Draco pulled out one single vial of venom. "Ready?" he whispered.

"Ready as I'll ever be".

The scream released from the liquid was earth-shattering and he felt it as it reverberated and echoed around the empty walls of the chamber. The cauldron boiled furiously and began escaping over the edges and creeping out across the floors towards them. Images swirled inside. Dead bodies, screaming children, destruction reined as visions flashed in front of his eyes.

"Deiectionem!"

And the liquid swirled in the air around them like a tornado before it disappeared out of existence. They both collapsed on the ground panting. "Well that was fucking spectacular".

"1 down 4 more to go".

"Then we go in for the kill", Harry murmured.

* * *

Harry's hand was clenched tightly around the golden goblet. His eyes alternated between staring down at the rich purple juice, watching 'Moody' as he engaged in polite conversation with Proffesor Vector and the antechamber where he knew he would be headed soon.

Everybody was just finishing off their food and not long after the golden plates returned to their usual pristine state. Dumbledore stood up and clanged his fork against his goblet in order to silence the crowd. Harry watched as Ludo Bagman grinned like a child at the audience with a look of disgust on his face. "Rotten thief", he murmured under his breath as he remembered the mans gambling and the money he'd stolen from the Twins.

"The Goblet has almost made it's decision. Only a minute longer. Once the champions names have been called could they please head through to the antechamber", he indicated to his right, "Where they will receive their first instructions".

The Goblet was now glowing a bright blue-white that shined all around the hall, nearly blinding the students and staff.

"Almost there", Ginny whispered excitedly.

The flames turned a bright red and a charred piece of paper flew out and into the Headmaster's waiting hand.

"The champion for Durmstrang is - Viktor Krum".

The hall burst into applause at the name of the Bulgarian quidditch seeker and the Durmstrang students were banging on the tables in some kind of rhythmic chant. The man stood up slowly and walked over towards the antechamber in his regular duck footed manner.

"No surprises there", said Ron loudly above the noise.

The hall calmed down and watched as the second piece of paper appeared.

"The champion for Beauxbatons is - Fleur Delacour".

The blond stood up and flipped her blond hair, before flouncing off. Harry heard one of the brats begin to cry and watched as all of the boys drooled at Fleur's ass as she walked away.

"Pigs", he muttered and Hermione looked at him oddly before nodding once in agreement.

Then the third piece of parchment appeared. "And finally, the champion for Hogwarts is - Cedric Diggory!"

Ron growled beside him as the Hufflepuff rose from his table and flashed a charming smile amongst the wolf whistles of his peers. Harry watched quietly and it was probably the first time that he began to admit to himself that he might've had a crush on the man once upon a time. He was handsome. His eyes flickered to Draco and his blond hair and beautiful silver eyes. Definitely not the handsomest though, that spot was reserved for his husband alone.

"Excellent!" Dumbledore smiled happily. "Now that we have our three champions I'm sure I can rely on all of you to give your champions every ounce of support you can muster-"

But then the man paused and stared at the goblet as a single lick of red flame passed over it. He knew what was about to come, Harry did too.

Sparks started flying everywhere as the goblet was once again bright crimson and a piece of parchment drifted through the air and into his fingers.

"Harry Potter", the man murmured shellshocked.

"Harry Potter!" he shouted so that the whole hall could hear. His face was blank and the twinkle was completely removed from his eyes.

The whole hall was completely silent and Harry's expression was glassy as he stood from his chair. He didn't bother to look to any of the other students, already knowing of the looks of shock and betrayal that would meet his eyes.

As he walked towards the front of the hall he only looked to one person, Draco. He bowed his head slightly at him and quirked his lips as Harry strode through the door. He didn't look back again.

Viktor, Fleur and Cedric were all gathered around the fire with determined expressions on their faces as he entered. They started at the sound of the door slam.

"Do they want us back in the hall?" asked Fleur.

Harry ignored her completely in favour of heading to the back stone wall. He leant against it and crossed his arms whilst keeping complete eye contact with the door as he awaited to oncoming onslaught.

The door slammed open and Ludo Bagman walked in with his usual smile and flourish. "Extraordinary! Gentlemen...Lady...may I present to you the fourth tri-wizard champion!"

Viktor surveyed him darkly and Cedric looked nonplussed. Fleur tossed her head and laughed, "Very funny joke Mr Bagman".

"Joke?" he laughed. "Harry's name just came out of the goblet of fire!".

The door clanged open again and in walked Dumbledore, McGonogall, Snape, Moody and the other Heamasters. Harry could hear the buzzing noise of all of the students of the other side of the door.

"Madame Maxine!" Fleur said quickly as she headed towards the door. "They're saying that the little boy has to compete!"

Harry turned to her with an icy glare and he sneered viciously. _$Little boy my arse$_ he hissed dangerously and Cedric flinched visibly. Viktor seemed to regard him with new eyes.

"What is the meaning of this Dumbledore?" the tall woman asked imperiously.

The old man turned to face him. "Did you put your name in the Goblet of Fire Harry?" he asked calmly.

Harry met his eyes with just as calm and blank a gaze, regarding him carefully. "No. I did not".

"Of course the brat is lying." Snape said angrily.

"Did you ask an older student to enter your name for you?" Dumbledore asked again.

Harry snorted, "Of course not. Why would they be able to do that anyway? Surely people should only be able to enter their own names".

The whole room went quiet as they stared at him blankly and Dumbledore frowned, "It seems I made a grievous error".

Karkaroff was looking incredulous, "What is going on now?"

"It seems somebody has entered Harry's name in the Goblet of Fire. The reason why is anyone's guess".

Fleur scoffed, "He must be lying. He obviously got somebody else to put his name in! People would give anything for the glory of being champion!"

Harry laughed. A fully belly laugh that slowly turned into a mad cackle, everyone in the room was staring at him in shock. Suddenly Harry's face turned completely blank. "Of course it's like that Fleur. Because the books with my name in them, the people constantly staring at me, the fact that everybody has to know what I'm doing at all times, it just isn't enough for me. So I thought the best thing to do was to try and get myself killed in an extremely pointless tournament."

The girl's eye was twitching and he could see her fearing up to shout at him but Harry merely shook his head and stood up properly from where he was leant against the wall. He inclined his head towards Dumbledore.

"Whilst this conversation would be extremely enlightening I'd rather just skip it and get some sleep. Good night". He started to head towards the door whilst various teachers tried to tell him to stop and Snape murmured about him in the background.

He turned back slowly and his eyes made contact with 'Moody', he looked the man back and down then nodded with a malicious grin on his face as he left the room and head back towards the tower and what awaited him there.


	14. Chapter 13

Hello - Normal Text

"Hello" - Speech

 **Hello** \- Dream or Flashback

 _'hello'_ \- Thoughts

 _$hello$_ \- Parseltongue

* * *

Chapter 13

"How'd you do it mate?" asked Fred almost the second that he walked through the door.

He stopped in the archway of the Gryffindor common room and stared around at all the shocked and expected faces of his peers. "I didn't do anything".

One of the third year boys snorted and he shot him a sneer worthy of a Malfoy. The boy cringed and looked away.

"How did it get in then?" asked a girl with a too tight bun and a snooty turned up nose.

"Magic", he deadpanned and started walking towards the stairs.

"Come on mate-"

"-you have to tell us!"

Harry stood at the bottom step and looked over at all of the people staring at at him. "I can't be bothered to deal with any of your shit. I've had a rough day so I'm going to get my beauty sleep. Goodbye."

When he reached the dorm room he was met by the sight of Ron sitting crossed leg on the bed with an odd grin on his face. He headed towards his bed and started to pull his shoes and socks off, loosened his tie then collapsed backwards on the bed.

He could feel Ron's eyes on him and turned to look, "Yes?"

"How'd you do it?" the boy said still grinning madly.

"I didn't".

The redhead came to sit on his bed opposite him, "It's ok to tell me. I won't tell anyone..."

"I didn't do anything Ron".

The boy snorted and growled at him, "Yeah right. You know what, you could at least have told me the truth. I thought we were mates".

He stood up and went back to his bed, closing the curtains soundly behind him. Harry merely stared at the curtains for a few moments then layer back and tried to rest his eyes. A low growl emanated from his throat and he left off his bed and yanked the other boys curtains open with a ripping noise.

Ron opened his mouth as if to say something but Harry raised his wand at him, his jaws closed with an audible click.

"You're going to shut up and you're going to listen to me", Harry snarled.

He received a wide eyed nod.

"I don't care what you think, Ron, but I didn't enter my name. I don't want fame, or money, like people keep on saying. You all seem to forget that in order to gain those things I lost the most important thing of all. My family. My parents were fucking murdered! And unlike all of you I have to remember that fact every day. I would give all of my money if I could see them, if I could have a family like yours who actually love me and not treat me like a glorified house elf or a bloody freak! Doesn't anybody understand that!" The windows had begun to rattle and the room was beginning to heat up rapidly.

"Merlin - I've been a prat..." the redhead mumbled quietly.

"You're goddamn right about that Ron! Sort yourself out before I take it upon myself". He got into his bed and closed the curtains with a sticking charm to ensure nobody else would disturb him.

* * *

He could feel the eyes on him constantly, glares from the Hufflepuffs especially, and the whispers that would follow him anywhere weren't uncommon but seemed to worsen. He couldn't go anywhere without hearing at least 3 derogatory comments along the way.

He'd taken to avoiding main corridors and using the map to avoid other people. During lessons he sat at the back on his own and completely ignored all of the other students, only speaking when the teacher decided to ask him a question or call upon him for his lack of attention. It was hard but he found he mostly liked the solitude.

He arrived at the ROR just in time to see Draco begin to unpack his potions ingredients to continue working on his purging potion.

Harry sat down in the corner and started tapping on the table irritably, it took a few minutes but eventually Draco spoke up, "Are you deliberately trying to annoy me?"

"Yes", he replied cheekily but pulled his hands onto his lap.

"Is there something you wanted?" he asked as he started to spoon a foul smelling blue powder into the cauldron.

"I think we need to talk about the future."

Draco glared at him, "I'm a bit busy as you can see. This is important".

"And what I have to say is important as well", he growled. He ran his fingers through his messy black hair, "I've been thinking. With all of this Goblet of Fire stuff and everybody acting like pricks I just started thinking about things you know. How many people here can we really trust?"

Draco waved his wand over the cauldron until it was covered in a golden globe, it started to simmer slowly. The blond sat down beside him and pursed his lips in concentration. "Each other of course. I suppose I trust Severus to some extent. Blaise and Ginny, but we can't get them mixed up with their counterparts. They're still just kids here, they haven't been through the same experiences".

"And outside?" Harry asked quietly.

Draco scowled, "Not many people. I would like to think Sirius and Remus, they'd do anything for you... What is this really about?"

Harry looked out of the makeshift window that the room had created, looking over what appeared to be the Swiss alps. "We need allies. Real ones. Last time we lived through all of this, when I killed Voldemort, I just went home like my job was done. That won't work. There's a lot more in our world that needs fixing than just one homicidal maniac and his followers. Even if all of the pureblood fanatics are gone nothing changes. We still have a bunch of 'light' sheep who are so scared of Werewolves and 'dark' creatures they'll willingly execute them. What will happen to people like Remus? Huh? Do you honestly think that off the back of a war they'd just let his people get on with their lives? Hell no. We can't let Voldemort control this country, neither can we let Dumbledore. There has to be balance, there is no Light magic without Dark, nobody understands that. Right now people believe there are only a few options. If you think you're Light, you're with Dumbledore. If you're Dark you're with Voldemort. There is no in-between. We have to give that to them. All those people who are on the fence. The pure-bloods who want to protect their tradition but don't wish to kill innocents. All those people who believe that Creatures shouldn't be treated like shit but don't speak up. We need to give those people a voice. I've never like politics. But the shitbags we have right now don't have a clue how to run a country. Maybe it's time we try to take the reins."

Draco was staring at him intensely, his grey eyes burning with determination, "So what? We're like the third party?"

Harry smiled, "Yes. We fight for everyone. It's time we stop judging people on the genetics they have or the magic they use. Things need to change".

Draco snorted and shook his head ruefully, "Is this what we've come to Harry? Staging a fucking revolt".

"It's a revolution."

"And we're going to start it?" Draco quirked an eyebrow.

"You're damn well right we are".

Draco stood up from his chair and walked over to his table where he pulled out a sketch pad and began to draw with quiet precision.

"What are you doing?"

Draco turned the pad round to show him his half finished drawing, "Dumbledore has his flaming chicken. The Dark Lord has the Dark Mark. Maybe we should have our own symbol."

Harry stared down at the image with a smirk on his face. It was dragon come to life on the page, similar to the one he used to draw all of the time except this one had pale blue scales and when it breathed it alternated between roaring flames and ice that came from it's mouth.

Harry smiled and ran his fingers over the image as it shivered under his touch.

"Now all we need is a name".

* * *

"Hello there Cedric". Cedric looked up from where he was writing his Charms homework to see Harry Potter staring at him with an odd glint in his eyes.

"Harry..." he murmured, more than a bit cautious.

The boy sat down opposite him and leant back in his chair, he crossed his legs on the seat and smiled over at him.

"I was hoping we could have a bit of a chat".

"About.." he slowly started to pack up his books as if ready to make a quick escape.

"Well...we're both in the Tri-Wizard so I thought it would be good to talk to you about an idea I had. For the champions".

"I'm not pranking anyone", he said quickly as he buckled the flap on his leather bag up and began to stand. Suddenly his knees gave way and he collapsed back onto the chair.

Harry smirked, "Maybe you should take a seat".

"O-Ok".

"I was thinking we could start a club you know. To help prepare for tasks. Stage a few duels and like a bit of a warm up".

"Wouldn't that be cheating.." Cedric murmured.

"Of course not! Just a bit of practice, no explicit information given. The whole purpose of the tournament is international cooperation after all."

Cedric nodded slowly as Harry started to walk away. "Think about it and talk to the others! See you soon!"

Then he skipped off out the door, waiting until he was fully out of view before he composed himself and slipped into the alcove where Draco was waiting for him. He collapsed against the wall with a sigh, "1 down".

"Are you sure about this?" asked Draco as he carded his fingers through the others hair.

"I'm not sure about Cedric but it won't take much to get Fleur and Viktor on our side. A Veela and a Dark oriented wizard such as him, hopefully it won't take much work to convince them."

"How many people have you got in mind?" the blonde was staring down at him with a concerned expression on his face."

"Only a few..."

Draco snorted and started walking off towards potion, he followed quickly after. It was half way through the lesson as Harry was brewing next to Daphne Greengrass (as a result of him refusing to work near Ron) when Colin Creevey came into the lesson and told him he was needed.

"Mr Potter is in the middle of brewing a complicated draught", Snape sneered at the quivering third year.

"Please sir..."

"Fine", the man growled. "Potter. Be back quickly."

"He needs to take his things sir."

The man waved him off and turned to shout at Neville for his poor work whilst sending him an angry glare.

Harry quickly packed up his things and headed off after Creevey. They walked through the winding corridors making idle chatter as Harry tried to ignore the 'fangirling' (or boying) that Colin seemed to be oozing off. As soon as they reached the door he waved a quick goodbye and slammed the door behind him.

He walked his way into the center of the room where the other champions were waiting and gave a dazzling smile. "Viktor, Fleur", he nodded to each of them in respect then turned to Cedric. "Have you thought about what I said?"

"It's been like an hour so..."

Harry frowned, "Is it really such a big deal?"

"I guess not", Cedric shrugged. "Fine I'll do it."

"Do what?" asked Fleur as she turned to him and flicked her white blond hair. Cedric tensed and his eyes started to go a bit glazed but he managed to shake it off quickly.

"Harry was talking about organising a sort of training group for the four of us. As practice". His voice was still a bit dazed but he seemed mostly coherent.

Fleur's eye twitched slightly at his reaction but she didn't say anything. "Are we allowed to do that?"

"Yes", Krum grunted and they all turned to him with raised eyebrows. "I read the rule book", the man mumbled quietly and Harry very nearly snorted. Maybe him and Hermione weren't quite as badly matched as he had originally thought.

"I suppose it would be a good opportunity to hone my skills", Fleur grinned with a menacing smile and Harry shivered. His mind went back to the world cup and the displays by the Veelas, their birdlike faces and the white hot flames they controlled. Fleur may only be quarter-veela but he had no doubt she could be just as good with the element of fire as him and with very little effort as well. It was in her blood.

Just then Dumbledore and Ollivander walked through the door and called everyone to attention. "Welcome to the weighing of the wand's ceremony. Mr Ollivander will be assessing your wands to make sure they are in working order for the tournament".

Ollivander smiled serenely and went over to where Fleur was standing, tall and proud and holding her wand out in front of her. The man took it from her with a nod of respect and flicked what looked to be a pair of goggles over his eyes. Then he began to examine it. "Rosewood", he murmured. "And a core of- my goodness".

"Veela hair. From my grandmother." She flashed her pearly white teeth and Cedric almost melted next to him. Harry rolled his eyes.

"A bit temperamental but each to their own", the wise man said slowly. He brandished the wand, "Orchideous". A bright bouquet of red roses popped out of his wand. He swept them up quickly before handing them and the wand back to the girl.

He moved on to the next person. "Mr Krum". He held his hand out in askance and the wand was placed in it with a scowl. The man studied it less intently than before, a frown graced his face as he flicked his goggles back up. "Gregorovitch I presume. I've never quite like his wand style, always too stocky with none of the flair. Never mind. Hornbeam and Dragon Heartstring, interesting combination". This time when he flicked the wand a steady stream of red wine came out of the end and landed in a pool on the floor.

It was quickly vanished and the wand returned to it's rightful owner. Ollivander moved on to Cedric and plucked the wand from the proud teen's hand. "A yes", Ollivander said with his first real smile of the day. "I remember selling this to you. Ash and Unicorn hair from a particularly fine male I believe. I trust you've taken good care of it?"

"Yes sir", Cedric beamed happily. "I polish it every night".

Harry couldn't help the snort, trying and failing to cover it up with a sneeze that nobody believed. The other professors gave him chastising looks and Dumbledore looked vaguely amused.

He could see Rita Skeeter in the corner of the room writing away, a quill gripped between her garishly pink claws. She was murmuring to herself and he thought he heard the word 'immature' somewhere in there.

"Good", Ollivander smiled evidently oblivious to what was going on around him.

"And now Mr Potter". He gave Harry a small smile as he looked at the wand gripped in his hand. "I remember this one very well..." He made no comment on it's origin which Harry was grateful for.

Harry reached out to place the wand in the elderly mans hand. As soon as it touched his flesh he recoiled instantly. The wand fell to the ground with a loud clatter that resounded throughout the quiet of the large room.

The man stared up at him with wide eyes as he held his hand. They quickly turned assessing and he tilted his head to the side. "Mr Potter..." he murmured.

Harry reached down onto the floor and picked up his wand. This time when Ollivander took the wand he held a hankerchief that stopped it from touching his skin. He remained extremely cautious.

He examined the thing slowly and when his eyes rested on the base of the wood the colour began to drain rapidly from his face. His eyes flickered quickly, from Harry to the wand and to Dumbledore as if he was trying to figure something out.

"You should be careful what you're messing with Mr Potter. Things can often be very misleading, you should be sure of your steps before you take them.."

He didn't bother to check the wand, handing it back to Harry as if he couldn't stand to have it in his hands any longer. Everybodys eyes in the room were on him, showing varying degrees of shock to concern. Harry furrowed his brows at the cryptic message of the Wandmaker and looked down at the wand in his hand. More specifically at the base.

Then he saw it. Right there in the handle there were lines forming. Making their way through the wood, bone white contrasting with the brown of the holly. He knew for a fact that they weren't there before and, if Ollivander's reaction was anything to go by, they certainly weren't a good sign.

He hastily shoved his wand back in his pockets and they got on with taking the photos for the Daily Prophet. He smiled for the camera but ran quickly from the room as soon as Rita Skeeter started walking towards him.

It didn't matter anyway. She could make up whatever slander she wished, he was too busy. There was a conversation he needed to have.

* * *

He dropped his wand on the ground in front of Draco, who was currently studying by the lake and looked to be charting some complicate astronomical diagram. Harry didn't even want to ask how he could plot it correct in the light of day.

Draco looked up and patted the ground beside him, Harry ignored him and stared pointedly at where the wand was lying in the grass.

"Are you having a hissy fit? Don't tell me...we're giving up magic and going to live with the muggles..". Draco grimaced slightly at that. Even though he was completely over his prejudice he didn't think he'd ever be able to survive living in the muggle world full time. Everything was just so overly complicated...

"If anybody's a drama queen Draco it's you. Now pick it up".

The blond gave an exasperated sigh and picked up the wand. "Is this ok?"

Harry furrowed his brows, "You don't feel anything? Burning? An overwhelming feeling of revulsion? Like your hand's about to drop off?"

"No..." he replied slowly and looked down at the wood in his hands before handing it back to the man standing above him. Harry sat down and, after checking that nobody was watching, clasped his hand with Draco's.

"There's something wrong with it. Ollivander couldn't even hold it earlier and there are these weird white streaks on it..."

Draco grabbed the wand out of his hands and started studying it intensely until he found the lines forming at the base. He let out a sigh and ran his fingers through his hair, "I should've known something like this would happen..."

"Something like what?"

Draco turned to him slowly. "We do quite a lot of tests in the Unspeakables. When I first started out there I had to participate in a study on wand lore. They wanted to figure out just what it took to be able to channel someones magic and what other objects they could apply the same characteristics to. We had to study various different wands from lots of different types of wizards. One of which came from a Dark Wizard. It was listed as a mahogony and unicorn hair wand but when we looked at it, we found that the wand was pure white instead of the brown colour that it should have been..."

Draco furrowed his brow, "We decided to try and figure out why that was. It turns out that the Dark Magic performed by the wand reacted badly with the Pure Magic of the Unicorn Hair. It caused the wand to destabilise, one of the minor symptoms of that was the colour change."

Harry looked down at his wand with wide eyes. "But...I don't even do that much Dark Magic. Only when necessary and besides I never do anything that bad. It's not like I've raised the dead or anything...". He looked distraught at the thought of his own wand beginning to reject him.

"It's not your fault", Draco clenched Harry's hand tightly. "You've done absolutely nothing wrong. Your wand is adjusting. This wand isn't the one you had in the future so it hasn't gotten used to the way your magic is now. To the wand, it's like you've gone from a completely pure white to a darker side of grey. It'll take a while for it to go back to normal but hopefully your bond will be enough to restabilise it. If not...you might have to get a new one..."

They both remained quiet for a while as Harry continued to study the wand.

"Voldemort's wand did that", Harry mumbled. "It's supposed to be yew but the colouring is much much lighter than it should be...his own wand has been working against him this whole time".

Draco snorted, "No wonder he failed to kill a baby."

He smiled shakily and rested his head on the blonds shoulder and let out a deep breath. He didn't know what he'd do if he lost his wand but he knew there was nothing he could do to stop it. His magic was how it was, and if the Dumledore's Bird's Feather didn't like that then it'd just have to learn to deal. His rational mind nodded in agreement but deep inside, his heart still ached at the loss.


	15. Chapter 14

Hello - Normal Text

"Hello" - Speech

 **Hello** \- Dream or Flashback

 _'hello'_ \- Thoughts

 _$hello$_ \- Parseltongue

* * *

Chapter 14

"Harry?"

Said Harry looked up from where he was sat in the corner of the common room, reading a book on dragons that Charlie had sent him over owl post a few days before. The First Task was tomorrow and he was only just beginning to finalise his plan. Even Draco had no clue of what he was going to do. Hermione was staring down at him with a worried expression on her face. She was nibbling on her bottom lip and looking around the common room as if somebody would somebody pop out. Harry hadn't even noticed it had cleared out.

"Hermione?" he said slowly as he placed a leather bookmark inside his book. Entiled ' _Dragons: Friend or Fierce Foe'_ by Emilian Lupul.

"Can we talk? Please? It seems like I've hardly seen you..."

That was extremely true. Harry had taken to spending most of his time either in the Room of Requirement or out on the edge of the grounds where very few people went out of fear of being mauled by wolves or some other over-exaggerated shit. In reality, the only wolf packs in the forest were at least a few miles in and were docile compared that of Fenrir Greyback and his mutts. The only harm you'd come to was probably an angry pixie, sometimes a centaur.

Harry had taken to avoiding Ron and Hermione. Ron seemed particularly stressed about this, especially after their argument when his name came out of the Goblet.

"What would you like to talk about?"

She took a seat opposite him on a red beanbag, her whole body was tense and there was a worried crease in her brow as she looked up at him. "Have you been preparing for the task?"

Harry's mouth curled up in a semblance of a smile. "I suppose you could say that..."

* * *

 **"Where are we going?"**

 **Harry was leading the procession of Hogwarts Champions through the school and down the staircases until they reached the second floor where he stopped just inside an alcove and waited for the others to file into the tiny space. Fleur looked extremely uncomfortable as the leant down underneath a wrought iron sculpture on the wall and tried not to hit her head.**

 **Harry reached down into his pocket and pulled out a scroll and sleek black quill. "Well we all agreed we'd do some training together and I've found the perfect place to do it. However this location could be...potentially incriminating...so before we go you all have to sign a contract."**

 **Cedric stared down at the scroll as a look of horror dawned on him, "Is that a blood quill?"**

 **Harry smiled slightly and began to unroll the parchment, "This simply states that you won't disclose any information about the room, including it's location, or any of what goes on in there without explicit permission from me. You can read it if you want."**

 **The parchment was passed around the group as they examined it for any loop holes or hidden clauses. They all signed in quick succession and winced at the pain as the blood was leeched from their wounds. Once the words had formed, Harry gave them each a small pot of balm to help speed up the healing process.**

 **He turned on his heel and led them through a small door and into a large open area. Sinks were circled in the centre and the floor was slightly flooded. There was a row of stalls led off to the side and the faint sniffles of a crying girl could be heard at the end. Fleur turned her nose up in disgust and Cedric turned an inquisitive stare towards him.**

 **"Myrtle?" Harry asked softly. One of the doors slammed open loudly and a spectral being floated out of the stall with tears flowing down her face and her ghostly glasses set askew on her face.**

 **"Hello?" she sniffled. Her eyes fell on Harry and she let out a happy squeak. She floated towards him with a massive grin on her face.**

 **"Harry! How are you?" She floated with her legs crossed over a stone bench and stared at the youngest champion as if he was the most interesting creature in the universe.**

 **"Perfectly Myrtle. And you?"**

 **She sighed and collapsed backwards on the bench, almost falling right through it in her haste. "Your such a gentlemen Harry. Nobody _ever_ asks _me_ how I'm doing! They're always too busy crying or making a big deal about themselves. You're so considerate..." she trailed off dreamily and she slowly came back down to earth.**

 **"Myrtle I was wondering if you could do me a favour..."**

 **She perked up and leant forward, batting her eyelashes. "Anything for you Harry!"**

 **"We're going down to the chamber. Can you make sure to keep quiet I don't want anyone to know."**

 **"Of course", she smiled happily and winked. Harry rolled his eyes at her and placed something down on her bench.**

 **The other champions leant in to look at what it was as he opened up the lid. It was a crystal container with a pillow inside and on it sat 4 strawberry fondants, perfectly formed and probably delicious if it weren't for the fact they were stale and the fruits were rotting. There was a maggot crawling out of one of them. Fleur put her hand to her mouth to stop the vomit that threatened to rise up her throat. Myrtle looked at the food with awe, "Oh you spoil me Harry! Thank you!"**

 **"No problem!"**

 **Harry turned towards the large gathering of sinks and approached on of them. He reached down and stroked some kind of small inscription. He hissed lowly and the room was suddenly filled with the grinding of machinery and the scrape of stone against stone. A tunnel opened up, lined with pristine dark stone and a collection of bright candelabras. It was a complete farcry from the chamber as it was a few years before, Harry had renovated the thing completely.**

 _ **$Stairs$**_ **he hissed and they started to appear out of the wall, one at a time until they reached the floor.**

 **"Ladies first", he said gesturing to the pipe with a malicious smile.**

 **Fleur gulped loudly.**

 **The pipe, once covered in shed skin and animal bones, was now pristinely clean and polished. The large circular door marking the entrance to the chamber had been restored. The snakes were now made out of green marble with silver eyes and tongues and as it rolled to the side it revealed the bright cavern on the other side. Once stagnant pools sparkled with azure water, there were even a few fish and animals swimming around. Portraits had been placed along the walls and the area had been divided into sections. One with books and seats, another with a small potions lab and the last had a few training dummies. The statue of Slytherin had been remade in onyx marble with eery green eyes and if you walked through the mouth there was a private chamber of Harry's that was only keyed to allow the entrance of him and Draco. Inside was a floo system, a bed and a room with various different weapons lining the walls. Even a few muggle ones that Harry had been trying to learn how to use but had failed spectacularly with so far.**

 **Harry had been hesitant to let the champions into the room at first. But in the end it was either here or the ROR. He didn't want the secret of the Room of Requirement to be known to anyone other than him and Draco for as long as possible. He'd settled on the chamber in the end. It was like a new HQ and he was safe in the knowledge that with the contract the Champions couldn't inform anybody else about it. Besides, they couldn't gain access either way without the knowledge of Parseltongue.**

 **They'd taken every precaution possible when setting it up. Now nobody could get in without permission from Harry and the floo network could only be accessed if you were wearing a special silver band and spoke a very odd and specific series of** **passphrases.**

 **It was complicated and mildly over the top. Harry was extremely paranoid but it could never be said that his methods didn't work.**

 **He turned to his gobsmacked guests and plastered a bright smile on his face. "Welcome to the chamber of secrets!"**

* * *

 **"Pick your wand up".**

 **Cedric looked up from where he was sprawled out across the duelling platform after dodging one of Fleur's fireballs. His wand had flown out of his hand and was balancing precariously close to the edge of one of the water pools.**

 **He tried to drag himself up to his knees put the Quarter-Veela had already flicked her wand and ropes shot out to tie his arms and legs together like a hog. "I win", she said smugly with glinting eyes.**

 **They'd been duelling for the last few hours and practicing a whole host of spells. Early on they'd already established the common knowledge that they'd be facing dragons and deciding the best things to be was to improve their basic duelling spells before thinking of ways to take down a gigantic dragon.**

 **Harry shook his head and stood up from where he and Krum had been sitting on one of the armchairs and waiting at the side. "We can try again tomorrow I suppose".**

 **"How do we get out?" asked Cedric as her stared down the chamber to where the pipe entrance was.**

 **"I put in a button. Press the snake inscription on the door to open it and then the one by the sink to close it again. Once it's closed you won't be able to get back in without my help." The three nodded and started to gather up their cloaks and things from the floor.**

 **"Not you Viktor."**

 **The Bulgarian turned around with an arched eyebrow at being ordered around by somebody a few years his junior but didn't mention it, merely sitting down with an amused look on his face.**

 **"Do you want something Potter?"**

 **Harry took a seat on the leather sofa and crossed his legs. "Your different from the others."**

 **Krum snorted in a 'no shit' kind of way.**

 **"I can feel it, your magic. It's quite a lot...darker". The man before him tensed and growled lowly, "Do you have a problem with that?"**

 **"Not at all." Harry smirked, "I wish to duel you. No holds barred. You can use any spell that comes into your head as long as it's not the killing curse."**

 **"I don't think you understand exactly what you're getting yourself into..." Krum said slowly. Harry didn't say anything, he stood up and pulled off his outer school robe. He rolled up his sleeves and stared down at his oddly coloured wand clutched in his had for a moment before he approached the duelling platform. Krum pinched his nose in exasperation before he followed.**

 **They faced eachother silently, wands held out in a standard duelling position as they both waited for their starting signal. Out of the corner of his eyes Harry could see movement, he smiled blankly but returned his gaze towards his opponent. "Begin".**

 **Harry took the defensive almost instantly as Krum let out a barrage of spells, ranging all the way from Expelliarmus to a Flesh-Eating curse that was certainly far from legal. He flicked his wand, sending the bombarda shooting off in the opposite direction. He focused his energy on the circle around Krum's feet and a ring of fire rose from the** **ground, halting the other mans slow progression forward. A cutting curse slashed his face, cutting clean through the skin on his cheek and blood began to trickle down him and soak into his white shirt. Harry snarled loudly and his wand released a deep purple curse that hit his opponents leg and the sound of bone snapping echoed throughout the chamber. The next few minutes they traded lethal spells backwards and forwards, by this point they both had multiple broken bones and had cuts all over their skin. Krum sent a bright yellow stream of acid and Harry channeled the last of his power. He summoned a million butterflies, all made of glass that flew at the spell and took the force of the acid. The stragglers that didn't disintegrate flew straight at Krum and towards his face, cutting and slashing at his skin. He stumbled and fell backwards off the platform on an effort to stop the attack.**

 **Harry grinned in triumph and stepped towards him where he held out his arm to help him up.**

 **The man took it gratefully and they both spent time healing eachothers wounds and cleaning up the blood.**

 **"You did admirably", said Krum in his same gruff voice. "It was rather unexpected."**

 **"Not everybody is as they seem".**

 **The man left the chamber afterwards and it was when he heard the stone door closing that he felt the familiar press of a wand into the back of his neck. He dropped his wand and held his hands up slowly in a show of peace. He slowly turned towards the figure behind him and saw Cedric Diggory standing with his wand out and vicious look on his face.**

 **"Who are you?" His eyes were steely cold and his wand arm showed no sign of letting down.**

 **"What do you mean?" Harry smirked slyly.**

 **"You're certainly not Harry Potter. I may not know much about Harry but he certainly wouldn't do anything like that."**

 **Harry's eyes twinkled brightly, "It's like I said. Not everybody is as they seem".**

 **"What is this?" the teen whispered. "Why would you bring us _here_ of all places? I don't understand".**

 **Harry sighed and bought his hands to rest behind his head. The wand before him moved imperceptibly as if ready to shoot off a spell.**

 **"I was researching old wizarding families Cedric. Did you know your family used to have a place on the Wizengamot? It was revoked in 1138 after one of your families was caught practicing an earth ritual merely six months after such rituals were banned. Your family was prohibited from practicing their own religion due to prejudice. Tell me Cedric, do your family still practice those things today?"**

 **Cedric slowly let his wand down as he stared at him in confusion, "My Great Aunt does. But we don't talk about it, we're not allowed to. My parents think it's disgusting practice."**

 **"What do you think?" Harry asked.**

 **The teen concentrated for a moment, "It's giving thanks to magic. Right? It's a proven thing that it's supposed to make you better at magic, whats so wrong with it".**

 **Harry smiled as if pleased with something then patted Cedric on the shoulder. "Think about that for a while. Then come talk to me". Then he walked out leaving Cedric confused behind him**

* * *

Hermione stared at him blankly as he reminisced about the events a few weeks before.

"Harry?" he snapped out of his daydream and turned back to her.

"Yes I've been practicing. Why?"

She sighed, "I'm just worried about you. You're so withdrawn and you never talk to anyone anymore, you seem like a completely different person!"

"Change is a good thing", he murmured quietly as he stared into her brown eyes. "How else is the wizarding world meant to evolve if we're all stuck in one place. One state of mind".

"How do I know it's good? I can hardly tell with you anymore." Her hair had gone extremely frizzy and she seemed to be trembling.

Harry leant forward slowly and took her hand in his, stroking his thumb over her palm in a soothing gesture. "Calm down, 'Mione".

She sniffled slightly as she met his eyes, "I just want to understand".

"There's not much I can say to you 'Mione. Just trust me."

"I can try". She smiled lightly.

Harry could only wish that she would.

* * *

Harry looked into the transfigured mirror as he finished changing into his robes. It was the day of the first task and it would be only a few minutes until he chose his dragon from the bag and not long after he would have to face the real thing.

He slipped his wand into the holster on his bicep and looked over his clothes. He had a long dark green over - robe that he'd made form salvaged basilisk hide and a pair of boots to match. Attacked to the his left side on his belt was a short silver dagger. If it were a thousand years before once would think he could be related to Salazar Slytherin himself.

Harry lifted up the tent flap and entered the central area where the other champions were waiting along with Bagman, Crouch and the headmasters of the other schools. They all looked at him in mixed degrees of shock and mild recognition as he strode towards the others. Nodding to each of the Champions in turn he took his place in the circle and turned towards Bagman who was holding the canvas bag loosely in his hand. "Right!" he returned from his daze with a bright grin. "Now that we're all here we can begin".

"You all have to reach into this bag from which you will withdraw the _thing_ that you're facing. When you get into the arena you'll have to get past it and get the golden egg. Are we clear?"

They all nodded and Harry took a second to survey the others. Fleur looked almost completely still except for the fact her hands were shaking, Krum was staring at the bag with determination and Cedric was twitching every few seconds as if waiting for the dragon to jump out there and then. They each picked out the same dragons as last time, the small figure thrashed and roared around on Harry's hand. _Cute._

As the champions went out one by one Harry found himself becoming impatient, his hands were shaking as he focused on the noise of the crowd. Oohing and aahing. Screamng intermittently when they sensed danger. It wasn't long before he himself was called out. He stood slowly and looked down at his arm where his wand was tied to his bicep and, in a rash moment with no judgement, he ripped it out of its holster and dropped it out of its holster he placed his dagger down beside it slowly.

Then he walked out, ready to face the crowd.

Draco was looking down from the stalls where he was sat next to his friend, Blaise Zabini. His eyes were focused solely on the entrance to the ring and there were already beads of sweat working their way down his forehead. "He'll be okay", he whispered quietly in an attempt to placate himself but he wasn't sure it was even working at all. His heart rate was still going a mile a minute.

He saw Harry enter the ring a minute later, he strode confidently to the centre and stood behind a rock. Right on the others side the Hungarian Horntail was waiting for him. He raised his hand and there was a small rattling noise as the dagger in the tent rose from the table and flew deftly into his hand. He clutched it tightly to him and stepped out from behind the rock. He raised it and paused for a moment to watched the the dagger extend until it became at least double its original length. Then with one quick motion the sword was flying out of his hand and lodged soundly into the chest of the dragon.

Thats when the panic began to ensue.

The dragon rose up on its leg and turned to him, smoke flaring on his nostrils as it stared at Harry with pure anger. Thick blood was trickling down its chest.

"What the fuck is he doing?" Blaise squinted down at him as if hoping to spot something he hadn't seen before.

"Oh god". Draco froze and stared down at Harry in shock. "Now he wouldn't dare..."

The dragon opened its massive jaw and it roared an almighty roar that shook the stadium.

"He's gonna die", he murmured as the realisation struck him.

The next time the dragon opened its jaw it focused itself on Harry and the massive stream of white hot flames hit his body full on. It was relentless in it's attack and the crowd went silent in shock as they watched the death of their saviour. The boy-who-lived was being burnt to ash.

Draco was frozen in his seat, his mind in denial over what his eyes could see. It couldn't be happened. He had to wake up. But he wasn't waking up, this wasn't a dream at all.

Harry could feel the flames rushing through his body, his knees gave out as he collapsed to the floor from the sheer energy relayed by the onslaught. It rushed through his veins and supercharged his magic to a level he'd never felt before in his life.

Then the fire stopped and the crowd looked down, expecting to be ash but instead what they saw was the frightening image of Harry Potter. His eyes were a bright flickering red and his hands were engulfed in blazing flames. Then in a sudden moment of rage, all of that was released. It attacked the dragon with such ferocity that it smashed back into the wards surrounding the ring. It's bones cracked and it was knocked out cold from the trauma. The rocks and smattering of plants were all completely obliterated and the pieces smashed against the wards where they disappeared into nothingness.

Harry stood, almost as if nothing had even happened, and walked towards the golden egg that still laid on the ground. Somehow intact. Then he walked back out of the arena again and towards the school. He didn't even wait for his score.

He certainly didn't need to hear it.


End file.
